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STATE  OF*  MEW 


No.  G. 


IN  ASSEMBLY, 

FEBRUARY  15,  1904. 


REPORT 

OF  THE 

Commission    to  Investigate  the  Condition    of  the  Adult 
Blind  in  the  State  of  New  York. 


STATE  OF    rfiTV*  YORK: 

EXECUTIVE  CHAMBER. 

ALBANY,  February  15,  1904. 
To  the  Legislature: 

1  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  the  report  of  the  Com- 
mission to  Investigate  the  Condition  of  the  Adult  Blind  in  the 

State  of  New  York. 

B.  B.  ODELL,  JR. 


REPORT. 


To  the  Honorable  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York: 

Gentlemen — In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  chapter  576, 
Laws  of  1903,  entitled  "An  act  to  provide  for  the  appointment 
of  a  Commission  to  Investigate  the  Condition  of  the  Adult  Blind 
in  the  State  of  New  York  and  to  report  on  the  expediency  of  the 
establishment  by  the  State  of  industrial  training  schools  or 
other  institutions,  and  making  an  appropriation  to  provide  for 
the  expenses  of  such  commission,"  which  act  became  a  law  on 
May  13,  1903,  we,  the  Commissioners  duly  appointed  by  the  Gov- 
ernor in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  aforesaid  act, 
have  now  the  honor  to  present  the  following  report: 

CIRCUMSTANCES  LEADING  TO  THE  APPOINTMENT  OF 
THE  COMMISSION. 

When  the  State  of  New  York  first  began  to  adopt  measures 
to  provide  for  the  education  of  its  blind  citizens  it  was  foreseen 
that  as  all  of  them  could  not  follow  a  professional  life  it  wpuld 
be  necessary  to  make  some  provisions  for  industrial  as  well 
as  for  intellectual  training;  and  hence,  first,  in  the  institution 
for  the  blind  which  was  established  in  New  York  city  and  later 
in  that  which  was  subsequently  established  at  Batavia  indus- 
trial departments  were  inaugurated  in  which  the  pupils  could 
learn  such  trades  as  experience  might  show  to  be  most  advan- 
tageous for  their  condition. 

But  it  was  soon  found  that  very  many  persons  who  had  lost 
their  sight  after  they  had  become  adults  were  extremely  desir- 


6  [ASSEMBLY 

ous  of  being  taught  some  industrial  pursuit,  and  also  that 
among  those  who  had  been  thus  trained  at  the  two  institutions 
many  wished  these  establishments  to  continue  to  provide  them 
with  work,  claiming  that  they  were  unable  either  to  start  in 
business  for  themselves  or  to  secure  employment  from  others. 
Each  institution  in  its  turn  endeavored  at  first  to  partially  meet 
these  demands;  but  these  endeavors,  which  at  the  best  neces- 
sarily benefited  a  few  only  of  the  many  who  needed  similar 
assistance,  so  imperiled  the  usefulness  of  these  institutions  as 
moral  and  intellectual  educators  of  the  youthful  blind  and  also 
entailed  such  financial  losses  that  first  in  New  York  city  and 
later  at  Batavia  these  endeavors  to  aid  the  adult  blind  were 
entirely  discontinued.  Hence,  at  the  present  time,  while  the 
State  haisi  nobly  provided  for  the  intellectual  and  to  some  extent 
for  the  industrial  training  of  blind  children  in  the  two  institu- 
tions which  have  just  been  named,  those  blind  persons  who  lose 
their  sight  in  adult  life  have  no  means  of  acquiring  an  industrial 
trade,  while  those  who  have  been  already  thus  trained  at  an 
institution  are  compelled  to  depend  entirely  upon  their  own 
ability  to  secure  work  and  to  support  themselves  thereby. 

It*  was  perfectly  natural  and  right  that  the  State  should  first 
give  its  attention  to  the  education  of  the  youthful  blind,  and  it 
is  also  sound  to  insist  that  the  two  institutions  which  are  en- 
gaged in  this  work  shall  not  be  burdened  with  the  task  of  train- 
ing adults  or  of  providing  work  for  them.  Still  the  question, 
"What  can  the  State  do  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  adult 
blind?  "  is  one  which  has  for  some  years  been  forcing  itself  with 
ever  increasing  urgency  upon  all  who  have  anything  to  do  with 
those  who  have  lost  their  sight.  As  the  blind  are  in  general  in 
indigent  circumstances,  and  the  adults  are  far  more  numerous 


No.  6.]  7 

than  the  young,  it  has  seemed  to  maray  who  have  considered  the 
subject  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  the  State,  beyond  its 
general  charities,  to  make  any  adequate  provisions  for  the 
former  class.  But  even  if  we  are  willing  to  resign  to  the  care 
of  the  existing  public  and  private  charities  all  those  blind  per- 
sons who  have  now  become  too  old  to  learn  or  to  follow  any  of 
the  industrial  pursuits  which  are  generally  considered  to  be 
feasible  for  those  who  have  lost  their  sight,  and  also  all  those 
younger  adult  blind  persons  who  have  been  left  by  disease 
physically  or  mentally  unsound,  there  will  still  remain  a  large 
class  of  able-bodied  adults,  and  it  ought  at  least  to  be  possible 
to  render  most  of  these  people  either  in  whole  or  in  part  self- 
supporting.  This  view  of  the  case  has  been  taken  also  by  other 
States,  and  some  of  them  have  already  adopted  measures  de- 
signed for  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of  their  adult  blind 
citizens. 

The  foregoing  facts,  which  will,  it  is  hoped,  sufficiently  explain 
why  some  legislation  was  deemed  desirable,  led  the  Senator 
from  Wyoming  county,  the  Hon.  Frederick  C.  Stevens,  to  frame 
and  to  introduce  the  bill  which  subsequently  became  a  law,  and 
your  Commissioners,  who  were  later  designated  by  the  Gov- 
ernor, accepted  their  several  appointments  with  the  hope  that 
a.fter  clue  investigation  they  might  be  able  to  recommend  to  your 
honorable  body  such  measures  as  would  in  some  degree  at  leas-t 
accomplish  the  objects  sought  by  this  law.  If  this  hope  has  not 
been  fully  realized,  they  have  at  all  events-  given  the  subject 
much  thoughtful  consideration;  and  have  also  in  the  brief  time 
allotted  to  them  for  their  work  carefully  examined,  so  far  as 
possible,  all  the  data  available  upon  which  their  recommenda- 
tions should  be  founded. 


8  [ASSEMBLY 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  COMMISSION. 

Owing  to  a  mistake  which  need  not  here  be  explained,  the 
Brooklyn  member  of  your  Commission  did  not  receive  his  ap- 
pointment until  the  23d  of  June,  but  on  the  26th  of  the  same 
month  the  Commission  held  its  first  formal  meeting  and  organ- 
ized by  electing  the  following  officers:  President,  F.  Park  Lewis, 
M.  D.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.;  vice-president,  Lewis  Buffett  Carll,  A.  M., 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.;  secretary,  O.  H.  Burritt,  A.  M.,  Batavia,  N.  Y. 

Since  its  organization,  which  was  effected  in  .New  York  city, 
the  Commission  has  (1)  held  six  meetings,  three  in  the  city  of 
Buffalo,  and  three  at  its  office  in  Batavia;  (2)  has  studied  and 
analyzed  the  United  States  census  of  the  blind  of  1900,  together 
with  the  New  York  city  list  of  blind  pensioners;  (3)  has  caused 
to  be  made  a  personal  visitation  of  about  one-sixth  of  the  entire 
blind  population  of  the  State,  besides  announcing  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  Commission,  and  calling  for  an  expression  of  opinion 
from  about  1,000  more;  (4)  has  had  correspondence  with  all  the 
superintendents  of  the  poor  of  the  State;  (5)  has  held  corres- 
pondence with  all  the  institutions  for  the  blind  in  the  United 
States  and  Canada  and  with  many  abroad;  (6)  has  given  one 
formal  and  two  informal  hearings  to  the  blind  and  their  friends, 
and  (7)  has  had  correspondence  and  conference  with  the  chair- 
man of  the  Massachusetts  Commission  recently  appointed  for  the 
same  purpose. 

Your  Commission  has  also,  through  one  or  more  of  its  mem- 
bers, personally  visited  (1)  the  Industrial  Home  for  thes  Blind 
(men),  Brooklyn;  (2)  the  Church  Home  for  Blind  Women,  Brook- 
lyn; (3)  the  Society  for  the  Belief  of  the  Destitute  Blind,  New 
York  city;  (4)  the  St.  Joseph's  Blind  Asylum,  Staten  Island, 
New  York  city;  (5)  Homes  for  the  Blind,  Blackwell's  Island, 


No.  6.]  9 

New  York  city;  (6)  the  Connecticut  Institute  and  Industrial 
Home  for  the  Blind,  Hartford;  (7)  the  Columbia  Polytechnic 
Institute  for  the  Blind,  Washington;  (8)  the  Pennsylvania  Work- 
ing Home  for  Blind  Men,  Philadelphia;  (9)  the  Pennsylvania  In- 
dustrial Home  for  Blind  Women,  Philadelphia;  (10)  the  St. 
Joseph's  Home  for  Blind  Females,  Jersey  City;  (11)  the  Perkins 
Institution  and  Massachusetts  School  for  the  Blind,  South 
Boston;  (12)  the  Maryland  School  for  the  Blind,  Baltimore;  (13) 
the  Pennsylvania  Institution  for  the  Instruction  of  the  Blind, 
Overbrook,  Philadelphia;  (14)  the  Institution  for  the  Blind,  New 
York  city;  (15)  the  New  York  State  School  for  the  Blind, 
Batavia. 

But  with  the  exception  of  this  general  statement  it  is  believed 
that  the  present  report  should  aim  to  present  a  comprehensive 
view  of  the  work  as  a  whole  which  has  been  done  by  the  Com- 
mission, with  as  small  an  amount  of  chronological  or  personal 
-detail  as  circumstances  would  seem  to  permit. 

Two  LINES  OF  INVESTIGATION  FOR  THE  COMMISSION. 

In  soon  became  evident  to  the  members  of  your  Commission 
that  if  they  would  acquire  the  knowledge  necessary  to  enable 
them  to  make  any  wise  recommendations  to  your  honorable 
body  they  must  first  ascertain,  s-o  far  as  possible,  .what  is 
the  general  condition  of  the  adult  blind  in  the  State  of  New 
York ;  and  second,  what  public  or  private  measures  have  already 
been  adopted  either  in  this  State  or  elsewhere  to  improve  the 
condition  of  the  adult  blind.  Information  regarding  the  first  of 
these  points  must  be  obtained  either  from  an  examination  of 
existing  public  or  private  records  concerning  the  blind  or  from 
some  system  of  personal  correspondence  or  visitation. 


10  [ASSEMBLY 

PUBLIC  AND  PRIVATE  RECORDS. 

Your  Commission  soon  discovered  that  documentary  informa- 
tion regarding  the  blind  of  the  State  of  New  York  was  exceed- 
ingly meager  and  untrustworthy.  Indeed,  the  only  two  records 
of  any  extent  which  could  be  found  are,  first,  that  which  was 
derived  from  the  United  States  census  of  1900  containing  the 
names  of  6,008  blind  persons;  and  second,  that  of  the  adult  blind 
pensioners  of  the  Greater  New  York,  containing  more  than  1,000 
names. 

As  it  seemed  reasonable  to  hope  that  a  careful  examination 
of  these  two  records  might  furnish  some  valuable  information 
bearing  upon  the  work  of  your  Commission,  an  early  effort  was 
made  to  secure  at  least  one  copy  of  each. 

From  the  State  Library  at  Albany,  which  had  previously  re- 
ceived from  Washngton  the  last  census  records  of  all  the  blind 
residing  in  the  State  of  New  York,  those  records  were,  through 
the  courtesy  of  Melvil  Dewey,  director  of  this  library,  forwarded 
to  Batavia  to  be  copied  and  subsequently  returned.  From  the 
census  list  we  were  able  to  ascertain  with  reference  to  each 
individual  the  name,  address,  degree  of  blindness  (whether  total 
or  partial)  color,  sex,  age  in  1900,  those  who  are  blind  and  deafr 
and  blind  and  deaf  and  dumb. 

In  the  person  of  the  Hon.  Homer  Folks,  commissioner  of 
charities  of  New  York  city,  your  Commissioners  found  a  coad- 
jutor always  ready  to  do  for  them  in  their  work  whatever  might 
lie  within  his  power.  Through  the  courtesy  of  this  gentleman, 
and  also  through  that  of  Second  Deputy  Commissioner  Charles 
E.  Teale  of  Brooklyn,  your  Commissioner  from  the  last  named 
city  was  permitted  to  make,  through  any  person  whom  he  might 


No.  6.]  U 

wish  to  send,  a  copy  of  the  adult  blind  pension  records  of  the 
so-called  Greater  New  York. 

It  seemed  desirable  in  the  first  place  to  endeavor  to  ascertain 
approximately  from  their  recorded  ages  how  many  of  the  adult 
blind  of  the  State  of  New  York  might  be  assumed  to  be  now  in 
the  prime  of  life. 

P»y  reference  to  Table  II  of  Appendix  A  on  page  53  of  this 
report  it  will  be  observed  that  of  the  6,008  blind  persons  in  the 
State  only  584,  or  9.72  per  cent.,  of  the  total  number  are  under 
21  years  of  age;  3,193,  or  53.14  per  cent.,  are  over  60  years  of 
age;  1,375,  or  22.88  per  cent,  are  between  the  ages  of  21  and  50. 
This  number  may  reasonably  be  assumed  to  be  the  number  of 
the  blind  of  the  State  who  are  now  in  the  prime  of  life,  and 
these  are  the  persons  who  may  be  supposed  to  be  capable  of 
being  rendered  in  whole  or  in  part  self-supporting,  and  for 
whose  interests  chiefly  your  Commission  was  created. 

By  reference  to  the  statistical  table  based  upon  the  pension 
list  of  1903  of  the  city  of  New  York,  which  constitutes  Appendix 
B,  page  59  of  this  report,  it  will  be  learned  that  510,  or  50  per 
cent.,  of  the  1,002  beneficiaries  for  the  current  year  were  be- 
tween the  ages  of  21  and  50  and  324,  or  32  per  cent.,  of  the  total 
number  of  beneficiaries  were  above  60  years  of  age. 

It  is  a  notable  fact,  for  which  your  Commission  will  not  essay 
to  account,  that  while  the  census  list  shows  that  but  22.88  per 
cent,  of  the  entire  blind  population  of  the  State  are  of  what  may 
be  assumed  to  be  of  working  age,  that  is  between  the  ages  of  21 
and  50,  50  per  cent,  of  the  recipients  of  the  benefactions  of  the 
city  of  New  York  are  within  these  same  age  limits;  and  that 
quite  contrary  to  what  might  be  expected,  only  32  per  cent,  of 
the  pensioners  of  the  city  of  New  York  are  above  GO  years  of 


12  [ASSEMBLY 

age,  although  over  53  per  cent,  of  the  blind  of  the  State  are 
above  this  age  limit. 

It  was  deemed  desirable  also  to  endeavor  to  ascertain  what 
conditions  hold  among  the  adult  blind  of  the  State  with  respect 
to  propert37,  marriage  and  present  or  previous  occupation.  But 
as  the  records  in  question,  and  particularly  those  of  the  United 
States  census,  failed  to  furnish  the  data  required,  it  was  found 
necessary  to  pursue  another  mode  of  investigation. 

PERSONAL  VISITATION  OF  THE  BLIND. 

When  available  records  were  found  to  be  unsatisfactory  the 
Batavia  member  of  your  Commission  having  learned  of  a  plan 
which,  although  for  a  different  purpose,  had  been  adopted  by 
Mr.  Edward  E.  Allen,  superintendent  of  the  School  for  the  Blind 
in  Philadelphia,  suggested  to  his  colleagues  the  employment  of 
a  visitor  who,  taking  the  addresses  of  the  blind  as  given  .in  the 
census  report  for  a  general  guide,  should  seek  to  visit  each 
given  blind  person  in  any  locality,  and  also  to  learn  from  him  of 
the  existence  of  any  other,  ascertaining  also  from  his  neighbors 
the  reliability  of  the  data  given. 

This  suggestion  was  adopted,  and  for  the  experiment  the 
Commissioner  just  mentioned  had  in  mind  a  young  man  of  ex- 
ceptional fitness,  who,  although  himself  blind,  generally  trav- 
eled alone  and  could  therefore  better  gain  the  confidence  of 
those  blind  persons  whom  he  visited.  This  young  man  investi- 
gated the  facts  concerning  610  blind  persons,  visiting  practically 
all  of  the  blind  residents  of  Broorae,  Cattaraugus,  Chautauqua, 
Chemung,  Genesee,  Livingston,  Orleans,  Schuyler,  Tioga  and 
Wyoming  counties,  and  some  of  those  residing  in  Allegany,  Erie, 
3Jonroe,  Niagara  and  Steuben  counties. 


No.  6.]  13 

When  two  months  of  work  had  demonstrated  to  the  Commis- 
sion that  this  plan  was  a  success,  and  that  the  material  being 
gathered  was  of  great  value  to  their  work,  a  second  young  man, 
likewise  without  sight,  was  employed  to  similarly  visit  some  of 
the  blind  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  State.  During  the 
brief  time  for  which  he  was  employed  he  similarly  investigated 
the  facts  regarding  192  blind  persons  resident  in  Dutches*, 
Columbia  and  Putnam  counties. 

Two  young  women  with  sight  were  likewise  employed,  one  of 
whom  investigated  37  cases  in  Franklin  county,  while  the  other 
visited  1.21,  resident  chiefly  in  Monroe,  Steuben  and  Wayne 
counties. 

It  wall  thus  be  seen  that  in  this  work  the  Commission  caused 
to  be  personally  investigated  the  larger  portion  of  western  New 
York  entire,  three  counties  in  southeastern  New  York  and  one 
in  northern  New  York,  so  that  all  sections  of  the  State  are 
represented  in  the  results  obtained. 

Because  it  was  believed  that  more  was  known,  or  could  be 
easily  ascertained  about  the  condition  of  the  blind  in  cities  than 
about  that  of  those  in  the  rural  districts,  work  was  confined  to 
the  latter. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  your  Commission  could  not  organize 
until  the  beginning  of  the  summer  vacations,  and-  that  these 
vacations  still  further  delayed  certain  necessary  preliminary 
work,  scarcely  more  than  four  months  remained  for  the  prosecu- 
tion of  any  kind  of  investigation,  and  little  more  than  three 
months  in  which  rural  visitations  could  be  conducted  with  any 
advantage.  Nevertheless,  in  the  brief  time  allotted,  960  cases 
were  investigated,  and  such  records  concerning  them  obtained 
as  would  enable  one  to  form  a  tolerably  good  estimate  of  the 


14  [ASSEMBLY 

general  condition  of  each.  Although  these  visitations  were 
made  mostly  in  rural  districts,  their  expense  was  but  $626.72,  or 
65  cents  for  each  person  found;  and  they  could  be  made  in  large 
towns  and  cities,  and  particularly  in  New  York  city,  at  a  much 
less  cost. 

It  is,  therefore,  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  time  did  not  per- 
mit the  extension  of  the  same  methods  to  the  blind  of  the  entire 
State,  since  in  no  other  way  can  a  really  accurate  knowledge  of 
their  condition  be  obtained.  Whether  or  not  such  knowledge 
would  readily  point  out  the  way  in  which  these  conditions  could 
be  best  relieved,  your  Commission  will  not  undertake  to  assert. 

The  conclusions  which  your  Commissioners  have  drawn  from 
the  data  secured  by  these  personal  visitations  are  found  at  the 
close  of  this  report,  and  several  items  of  interest  and  import- 
ance are  set  fourth  in  tabular  form  in  Appendix  C,  page  60,  which 
forms  a  part  of  this  report. 

CONSULTING  THE  ADULT  BLIND  OP  NEW  YORK  CITY. 

In  lieu  of  personally  visiting  the  adult  blind  of  New  York 
city,  where  the  prevailing  conditions  were  fairly  well  known, 
the  following  methods  were  adopted.  Through  the  kind  assist- 
ance of  the  Hon.  Homer  Folks,  and  also  through  the  thought- 
fulness  of  First  Deputy  Commissioner  Dougherty,  the  latter  of 
whom  first  suggested  the  plan,  the  Brooklyn  member  of  your 
Commission  was  enabled  to  meet  the  adult  blind  pensioners  of 
New  York  city,  and  a  week  later  those  of  Brooklyn,  as  they 
came  together  to  receive  their  annual  pensions ;  and  taking  them 
in  groups  he  briefly  addressed  each,  telling  his  hearers  about  the 
appointment  and  objects  of  the  Commission,  asking  them  to 
think  and  talk  the  matter  over  among  themselves  and  closing 


No.  C.]  15 

by  inviting  all  who  might  have  any  opinion  to  express  as  to  the 
nature  of  the  recommendations  which  the  Commission  ought  to 
make  to  your  honorable  body,  to  communicate  that  opinion  to 
him  either  in  writing,  or  by  calling  upon  him  at  his  residence, 
after  which  lie  handed  his  card  to  each.  In  this  manner  nearly 
all  of  the  1,000  pensioners  must  have  been  reached. 

After  this  "The  Adult  Blind  Union"  of  New  York  city,  having 
secured  a  small  hall  through  the  good  offices  of  the  Hon.  George 
P.  Kichter,  and  having  also  by  means  of  the  pension  list  noti- 
fied selected  persons  to  be  present,  invited  the  aforesaid  Com- 
missioner to  attend  and  to  give  an  informal  hearing.  This  he 
did,  meeting  about  100  adult  blind  men  and  women,  most  of 
whom  are  trying  to  conduct  some  business  for  themselves.  A 
little  later  he  attended  in  Brooklyn  a  ineKing  of  about  40  men 
who  are  engaged  in  industrial  pursuits. 

In  both  of  these  cases,  after  briefly  explaining  the  objects  of 
the  Commission,  a  free  discussion  was  invited  upon  any  sub- 
ject connected  with  the  work  of  the  Commission,  and  an  in- 
formal system  of  questioning  was  employed  by  him.  But  the 
results  of  the  method  adopted  at  the  distribution  of  the  pension 
were  not  very  satisfactory,  since  most  of  the  writers  and  callers, 
who  were  not  very  numerous,  merely  wished  assistance  in  get- 
ting their  pension.  Even  the  others  only  suggested  matters 
which  were  subsequently  discussed  at  the  two  informal  hearings. 
These  two  meetings  were  therefore  more  satisfactory,  although 
even  in  these  most  of  the  grievances  complained  of  and  most  of 
the  schemes  for  betterment  require  no  legislation  on  the  part  of 
the  State,  being  matters  belonging  exclusively  to  New  York  city, 
and  being  controllable  by  that  municipality.  ' 
Although  they  would  not  take  much  trouble  to  make  their 


16  [ASSEMBLE 

views  known,  there  appears  to  be  a  practical  unanimity  of 
opinion  among  the  adult  blind  of  the  city  of  New  York  with 
regard  to  the  following  matters:  First,  the  removal  of  all  those 
obstacles  whi^h  would  prevent  them  from  making  thoh*  living 
in  any  way  which  does  not  conflict  with  the  rights  of  others;, 
second,  no  radical  change  in  the  present  pension  system;  thirdr 
no  attempt  to  compel  them  to  go  into  a  home  for  the  blind; 
fourth,  some  legislation,  if  possible,  to  enable  a  blind  person 
who  is  accompanied  by  a  guide  to  travel  for  a  single  ^farc  upon 
any  railway,  trolley  or  other  public  carrying  conveyance  within 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  State  of  New  York,  which  last  matter  has 
been  under  discussion  among  the  blind  for  several  years. 

These  facts  are  not  given  as  the  views  of  the  Commission,  but 
as  representing  the  thought  of  those  of  the  adult  blind  reached 
by  the  Commissioner  from  Brooklyn. 

GENERAL  HEARING. 

In  addition  to  these  informal  hearings  the  full  Commission 
on  December  9th  gave  a  public  formal  hearing  at  a  meeting 
held  under  the  auspices  of  the  Buffalo  Charity  Organization 
Society,  in  the  parlors  of  the  Hotel  Genesee  in  the  city  of  Buf- 
falo. This  meeting  was  attended  by  a  number  of  charity  work- 
ers and  by  blind  men  engaged  in  various  occupations.  Several 
of  these  spoke  before  the  Commission,  giving  their  views  as  to 
the  difficulties  which  the  blind  must  meet  and  the  manner  in 
which  they  could  be  overcome. 

INQUIRIES  ABOUT  BLIND  IN  ALMSHOUSES. 

As  another  aid  to  ascertaining  the  general  condition  of  the 
adult  blind  in  the  State  of  New  York,  your  Commission  ad- 
dressed a  circular  letter  to  the  superintendents  of  the  poor  of 


No.  6.]  17 

each  of  the  counties  of  the  State,  with  the  exception  of  the  city 
of  New  York,  which  almshouse  was  personally  visited  by  one 
of  the  members  of  your  Commission. 

This  letter  failing  to  elicit  the  information  desired,  a  second 
letter  was  subsequently  sent,  and  as  a  result  of  these  two  let- 
ters of  inquiry  replies  were  received  from  all  the  counties  in  the 
State  with  the  exception  of  ten. 

A  table  showing  by  sexes  the  number  of  blind  inmates  in  the 
almshouses  of  the  State  from  which  data  were  furnished  forms 
Appendix  D. 

From  these  replies,  as  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  Appendix 
I),  it  was  learned  that  only  1.79  per  cent,  of  the  blind  in  the 
State  are  found  in  the  almshouses,  and  of  these,  so  far  as  can 
be  determined  from  the  facts  given,  not  more  than  one  in  ten 
would  be  fit  candidates  for  an  industrial  institution  of  any 
character  whatever. 

EXISTING  PROVISIONS  FOB  THE  ADULT  BLIND  IN  THE 
STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 

In  following  the  second  line  of  their  investigation,  i.  e.,  in 
ascertaining  what  public  or  private  measures  have  already  been 
adopted  either  here  or  elsewhere  for  bettering  the  condition  of 
the  adult  blind,  your  Commissioners  naturally  first  gave  their 
attention  to  this  State;  and  they  have  personally  visited  each 
home  mentioned  as  being  within  its  limits.  They  feel,  however, 
warranted  in  asserting  that  beyond  the  limits  of  the  five 
boroughs  which  compose  the  present  city  of  New  York  there  is, 
with  the  exception  of  the  almshouse,  no  public  or  private  pro- 
vision of  any  kind  for  the  adult  blind.  It  is  not  even  known  that 
any  adult  blind  persons  are  provided  for  in  any  home  for  the 


18  [ASSEMBLY 

aged,  although  it  is  possible  that  such  may  be  the  case  in  a  very 
few  instances.  It  was  therefore  only  necessary  to  examine  the 
various  modes  of  assisting  the  adult  blind  which  have  been  in- 
augurated in  the  city  of  New  York,  all  of  which  are  maintained 
by  the  city  or  by  private  liberality. 

I.     CITY  PENSION  FOE  THE  BLIND. 

So  far  as  the  adult  blind  of  the  Greater  New  York  are  con- 
cerned, the  most  far-reaching  of  all  the  charities,  whether  public 
or  private,  is  the  annual  pension  which  the  city  grants  to  the 
majority  of  them.  For  the  last  forty  years  at  least  New  York 
city  has  bestowed  annually  upon  each  adult  blind  person  having 
no  real  or  personal  property,  and  not  being  an  inmate  of  any 
charitable  institution,  a  pension  which  has  ranged  from  |35  to 
$50,  the  primary  object  being  to  help  those  who  were  trying  to 
help  themselves.  When  by  the  act  of  consolidation  the  Greater 
New  York  was  formed  this  pension  was  extended  to  all  the 
boroughs,  the  present  charter  providing  that  an  amount  not  ex- 
ceeding |75,000  in  any  one  year  might  be  appropriated  by  the 
Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment  for  this  purpose,  and  that 
no  more  than  f  100  should  be  granted  to  any  one  blind  person.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  however,  the  appropriation  has  never  reached 
this  limit,  that  for  the  last  year  being  |49,950,  giving  to  each 
accepted  applicant  |49.  As  might  be  expected  from  the  growth 
of  the  city  the  number  of  these  pensioners  continually  increases, 
and  last  August  it  reached  1,018,  not  counting  those  who  ap- 
plied but  were  rejected.  To  obtain  this  pension  the  applicant 
must  fill  out  a  certain  blank.  After  this  a  public  visitor  em- 
ployed for  that  purpose  is  supposed  to  call  at  the  residence  of 
the  applicant,  and  also  to  take  any  other  means  which  may  sug- 


^o.  6.]  19 

gest  themselves  in  order  to  discover  whether  or  not  the  appli- 
cant has  made  any  false  statements,  and  upon  his  report, 
provided  the  oculist  who  always  examines  his  eyes  concurs,  the 
application  is  generally  granted  or  denied.  So  far  from  being 
fixed  by  law  the  date  of  payment  is  exceedingly  irregular; 
neither  are  the  blind  of  Brooklyn  and  New  York  generally  paid 
at  the  same  time  and  never  at  the  same  place.  Two  or  three 
days  before  the  payment  is  to  be  made  a  postal  is  mailed  to  each 
applicant  informing  him  or  her  of  the  date  of  payment,  and  this 
postal  must  generally  be  presented  in  person  at  the  designated 
rendezvous,  which  is  always  the  Department  of  Charities  of 
New  York  or  Brooklyn,  as  the  case  may  be. 

II.     ADULT  BLIND  ON  BLACKWELL'S  ISLAND. 

The  almshouse  system  of  Blackwell's  Island  also  provides  for 
a  considerable  number  of  adult  blind  persons.  These  persons 
are  there  of  their  own  volition,  and  are  in  no  sense  criminals; 
those  who  are  arrested  for  and  convicted  of  vagrancy  being 
sent  to  the  workhouse  on  Hart's  Island,  the  number  of  such 
commitments  being,  it  is  unofficially  said,  about  one  a  month. 
Through  the  consideration  and  kindness  of  Commissioner  Folks 
the  blind  on  Blackwell's  Island  were  separated  from  the  other 
inmates  of  the  almshouse  and  assigned  two  wards,  one  for  men 
and  the  other  for  women;  and  in  this  way  they  have  been  en- 
abled to  fare  somewhat  better  than  their  neighbors.  When 
these  wards  (which  are  now  called  homes  for  the  blind)  were 
visited,  they  contained  67  men  and  70  women,  although  the  num- 
bers of  each  are  continually  varying.  Nearly  all  the  women 
appeared  to  be  old,  and  only  two  of  them  had  ever  been  pupils 
of  an  institution  for  the  blind;  and  these  the  records  show  to 


20  [ASSEMBLY 

have  always  been  somewhat  deficient  in  intellect.  Among  -the 
men  the  case  was  somewhat  different,  as  eight  of  them  had 
once  been  pupils  in  some  school  for  the  blind,  and  the  average 
age  appeared  to  be  much  less  than  that  of  the  women.  But  even 
in  this  ward  it  would  be  doubtful  whether  more  than  a  fifth  of 
the  inmates  could  be  taught,  or  could  follow  any  trade.  Never- 
theless Commissioner  Folks  some  time  ago  started  the  broom 
industry  among  them,  and  as  he  was  soon  able  to  obtain  all  the 
brooms  he  required  for  his  departments  he  was  quite  hopeful 
for  the  future  of  his  undertaking. 

III.     PRIVATE  HOMES  FOR  THE  BLIND. 

There  are  within  the  limits  of  the  present  city  of  New  York 
four  private  homes  for  the  blind,  containing  in  all  somewhat 
more  than  150  persons. 

Of  these  the  largest  is  that  maintained  by  the  Society  for  the 
Relief  of  the  Destitute  Blind  of  New  York  City  in  the  Borough 
of  Manhattan,  being  situated  at  One  hundred  and  fourth  .street 
and  Amsterdam  avenue.  This  is  a  home  for  both  men  and 
women,  and  maintains  about  50  of  each.  It  is  supported  entirely 
by  private  contributions,  and  although  founded  by  an  Episcopal 
clergyman,  is  now  entirely  nonsectarian.  What  industries  are 
practiced  are  only  for  the  benefit  of  the  inmates  and  contribute 
nothing  towards  the  support  of  the  home. 

The  second  in  importance,  which  is  called  "  The  Industrial 
Home  for  the  Blind,"  is  situated  at  512  Gates  avenue  in  the 
borough  of  Brooklyn,  and  it  is  in  reality  a  home  for  men  only. 
This  home  aims,  first,  to  make  its  inmates  self-supporting  by 
furnishing  'them  with  constant  work  in  certain  industrial  pur- 
suits while  charging  them  a  nominal  board;  and,  second,  to 


No.  6.]  21 

furnish  work  to  those  blind  men  who  wish  to  work  there  but  to 
live  elsewhere.  The  trades  followed  are  the  making  of  all  kinds  of 
brooms,  the  cane  seating  of  chairs  and  the  making  and  renovat- 
ing of  mattresses.  When  this  home  was  visited  it  was  main- 
taining about  20  inmates,  and  furnishing  partial  work  to  about 
as  many  more,  who  may  be  called  '"'outmates,"  although  as  it 
has  abundant  ground  it  is^extending  its  accommodations.  Nev- 
ertheless its  superintendent,  Mr.  K.  1*.  Morford,  stated  that 
the  industrial  department  of  the  home  barely  paid  its  own 
expenses,  so  that  the  establishment  is  almost  entirely  dependent 
npon  private  liberality.  This  is  the  only  industrial  home  in  the 
State  of  New  York.  • 

There  is  also  in  Brooklyn  a  home  for  blind  women,  and  it -is 
now  located  at  550  Washington  avenue.  As  the  establishment 
was  on  the  verge  of  financial  ruin  its  care  has  been  lately  as- 
sumed by  the  Church  Foundation  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  although  it  is  still  open  to  all  Protestants  and  receives 
some  Catholics.  When  visited  it  contained  18  inmates,  but  no 
trades  were  followed. 

There  is  also  in  the  borough  of  Richmond,  i.  e.,  Staten  Island, 
a  combined  school  and  home  for  blind  girls  and  women  only 
which  is  called  .the  St.  Joseph's  Blind  Asylum,  and  which  is 
under  the  care  of  the  Sisters  of  Charily.  This  home  rs  at  Mount 
Loretto,  between  Prince's  Bay  and  Pleasant  Plains,  and  when  it 
was  visited  contained  only  12  adult  inmates.  Nevertheless  Sis- 
ter Anne,  who  expended  her  own  private  fortune  in  erecting  a 
most  beautiful  building,  has  accommodations  for  more  than  100 
inmates,  and  she  will  without  doubt  soon  receive  such  contribu- 
tions from  Catholic  sources  as  will  enable  her  to  provide  for  a 
large  number  of  adults,  together  with  the  children. 


22  [ASSEMBLY 

It  will  thus  appear  that  the  public  and  private  charities  of  the 
entire  city  of  New  York  reach  no  less  than  1,300  of  the  probable 
1,800  adult  blind  persons  of  this  city. 

It  will  now  also  be  evident  why,  in  an  earlier  portion  of  this 

I 

report,  your  Commissioners  stated  that  the  conditions  of  the 
adult  blind  of  New  York  city  were  apparently  at  least  better 
than  those  of  the  adult  blind  who  reside  in  any  other  part  of  the 
State,  and  that  hence  the  blind  of  that  city  were  not  anxious 
about  State  assistance. 

EXISTING    PROVISIONS    FOR    THE    ADULT    BLIND    IN 
OTHER   STATES. 

Whether  *n  the  United  States  or  Europe  all  the  methods 
which  have  been  adopted  in  order  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of 
the  adult  blind  may,  your  Commissioners  believe,  be  classified 
under  some  one  of  the  following  divisions : 

(1)  The  giving  of  alms  to  them  as  mendicants  simply. 

(2)  The  granting  of  pensions  to  them  merely  as  indigent  blind 
persons. 

(3)  The  establishment  of  homes  for  them  in  which  they  are 
required  to  do  no  work. 

(4)  The  endeavor  to  provide  work  for  them  in  their  own  homes 
or  elsewhere  among  the  sighted;  also  when  necessary  to  teach 
them  some  industrial  pursuit  in  their  own  homes. 

(5)  The  establishment  of  industrial  training  schools  in  which 
•the  adult  blind  may  be  taught  some  suitable  trade  or  business, 

(G)  The  establishment  of  industrial  homes,  i.  e.,  homes  in 
wliirh  thr  inmates  are  required  at  least  to  contribute  towards 
their  support  by  working  at  some  itrade. 

(7)  The  establishment,  of  workshops,  where  the  blind  may 
work  at  certain  trades  but  live  outside. 


No.  6.]  23 

(8)  The  offering  of  a  combination  of  some  of  the  preceding 
features,  the  last  being  ithe  real  status  of  almost  every  indus- 
trial home  examined. 

The  first  three  of  these  methods  may  be  regarded  as  charity 
simply,  while  tlTe  others  are  various  methods  for  encourage- 
ment of  self-help.  Again,  the  first,  second  and  fourth  of  these 
methods  are  aids  requiring  no  establishment  for  the  blind,  while 
the  others  are  dependent  upon  such  establishments. 

I.     MENDICANCY. 

Time  did  not  permit,  neither  did  your  Commissioners  feel  it 
incumbent  upon  them  to  make  any  general  inquiries  as  to  the 
extent  of  mendicancy  among  the  blind,  although  it  is  well  known 
that  direct  personal  gifts  constitute  the  oldest  and  also  the 
most  common  method  of  assisting  those  who  have  lost  their 
sight,  and  it  is  believed  that  very  many  of  the  blind  are  de- 
pendent for  their  support  either  in  whole  or  in  part  upon  this 
form  of  charity. 

II.    PENSIONS. 

Besides  the  pension  system  which  obtains  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  the  city  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  grants  a  pension  of  $100, 
payable  semiannually,  to  the  blind  of  that  city. 

The  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  in  April,  1903, 
enacted  into  law  a  bill  which  provides  that  it  shall  be  lawful 
for  any  county,  Hi  the  discretion  of  the  county  commissioners 
or  the  board  of  supervisors,  to  contribute  to  all  male  persons 
over  the  age  of  21  years  and  to  all  female  persons  over  the  age 
of  18  years  who  are  blind  the  sum  of  |150  per  annum,  payable 
quarterly.  The  law  further  provides  that  "  no  person  or  per- 
sons who  are  charges  of  anv  charitable  institution  in  this  State 


24  [ASSEMBLY 

or  any  county  or  city  thereof,  or  persons  having  an  income  of 
more  than  |250  per  annum,  or  persons  who  have  not  resided  in 
the  State  of  Illinois  continually  for  ten  consecutive  years  and 
in  their  respective  counties  three  years  immediately  before  ap- 
plying- for  said  benefit,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  provisions  of  this 
act." 

The  foregoing  pension  provision  of  the  State  of  Illinois, 
together  with  the  pensions  granted  by  the  city  of  New  York 
and  the  city  of  Cleveland,  are  the  only  pension  provisions  in 
the  United  States  which  have  come  to  the  knowledge  of  your 
Commissioners,  but  in  Great  Britain  the  pension  system  seems 
to  be  much  more  general. 

III.     HOMES. 

Except  the  homes  already  described  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
the  only  other  home,  pure  and  simple,  which  has  come  to  the 
attention  of  your  Commissioners  is  the  one  situated  on  Pavonia 
avenue,  Jersey  City,  under  the  control  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity 
and  containing,  when  it  was  visited,  more  than  50  women. 

IV.  INSTRUCTION  OF  THE  ADULT  BLIND  IN  THEIR  OWN  HOMES. 
The  only  exemplification  in  this  country  of  carrying  instruc- 
tion to  the  blind  in  their  own  homes  that  has  come  to  the  atten- 
tion of  your  Commission  is  that  which  is  now  in  vogue  in  the 
State  of  Massachusetts.  From  the  first  and  second  annual 
reports  upon  this  work,  made  by  the  Perkins  Institution  and 
Massachusetts  School  for  the  Blind  to  the  State  Board  of  Edu- 
cation, we  glean  the  following  information:  "By  direction  of 
the  Legislature  in  1890  the  State  Board  of  Education  made  an 
inquiry  into  the  feasibility  of  instructing  the  adult  blind  at 
their  homes."  The  results  of  these  investigations  were  sub- 


No.  6.]  25 

mitted  in  a  report  to  the  Legislature  in  May,  1000,  written  by 
the  able  secretary  of  the  State  Board  of  Education  of  the  State 
of  Massachusetts,  the  Hon.  Frank  A.  Hill.  In  consequence 
thereof  the  following  act  submitted  by  the  committee  on  edu- 
cation was  passed:  "  There  shall  be  allowed  and  paid  out  of  the 
treasury  of  the  commonwealth  a  sum  not  exceeding  f  1,000,  to 
be  expended  by  the  Perkins  Institution  and  Massachusetts 
School  for  the  Blind  for  the  instruction  of  the  adult  blind  in 
their  homes;  but  no  expenditure  shall  be  made  under  this  act 
until  the  plans  of  such  instruction  have  received  the  approval  of 
the  State  Board  of  Education.  *  *  *  " 

"The  work  was  inaugurated  on  the  first  of  November,  1900, 
by  the  selection  of  two  teachers,  themselves  blind,  and  a  third 
was  soon  added  to  the  number. 

"A  thorough  canvass  of  the  cities  and  towns  was  then 
taken,  in  each  of  which  the  leaflets  were  freely  circulated,  and 
all  through  the  newspapers,  the  schools,  the  churches  and 
organized  societies  the  attention  of  the  citizens  was  called  to  the 
possibilities  of  the  work  and  their  cooperation  urged. 

"  There  are  now  (January  6,  ,1903)  two  men  and  two  women 
engaged  in  the  work,  a  fourth  teacher  having  been  employed  since 
the  first  day  of  September,  1902.  These,  apportioning  the  dif- 
ferent sections  of  the  State  among  themselves,  travel' ceaselessly 
to  and  fro  and  make  their  arrangements  so  as  1<>  utilize  time,  dis- 
tance and  money  to  the  best  possible  advantage,  and  to  visit  each 
pupil  regularly  and  frequently. 

"  The  following  statistics  will  give  in  brief  form  a  compre- 
hensive view  of  the  work  accomplished  for  the  years  1901  and 
1902. 


l;()  [ASSEMBLY 

1901.  1902. 

Number  visited 130  140 

Number  taught  No  data,  115 

Number  refusing  instruction 20  25 

Number  receiving  instruction  in  reading.  ...  68  146 
Number  receiving  instruction  in  writing.  ...  39  51 
Number  receiving  instruction  in  sewing  ....  7.  12 
Number  receiving  instruction  in  knitting  ...  13  19 
Number  receiving  instruction  in  crocheting  .  1  3 
Number  receiving  instruction  in  use  of  sew- 
ing machine 2  3 

Number  receiving  instruction  in  caning  chair 

seats    5  5 

Number  receiving  instruction  in  tuning  piano 

fortes    : 1  2 

Number  receiving  instruction  in  gymnastics.  .               2  0 
Number     receiving     instruction     in     manual 

alphabet  3  0 

Number  receiving  instruction  in  typewriting.               0  1 

Number  receiving  instruction  in  type  slates.  .               0  3 
Number    receiving    instruction     in     musical 

Braille    0  T 

Average  age  of  pupils No  data.  54 

Number  over  50  years  of  age No  data.  110 

Number  under  25 No  data.  12 

Number  of  calls  made  by  teachers 265  619 

Number  of  lessons  giveji  by  teachers 942  1,296 

Number  of  miles  traveled  by  teachers 23,914  33,810 

The  total  expenses  for  the  work  from  November,  1900,  to  the 
first  of  January,  1902,  amounted  to  |3,583.15.  The  amount  of 
money  expended  the  second  year  is  not  shown  in  the  report. 


No.  6.]  27 

V.     INDUSTRIAL  TRAINING  SCHOOLS. 

The  best  known,  if  not  the  only  industrial  training  school  in  the 
strict  sense  of  this  term,  is  the  Connecticut  Institute  and  Indus- 
trial Home  for  the  Blind,  located  at  Hartford.  This  is  a  com- 
bined kindergarten  and  industrial  training  school,  the  two  being 
in  separate  buildings.  The  industrial  training  school  department 
maintains  of  late  from  30  to  35  pupils,  and  is  for  the  blind  of 
both  sexes  without  any  restriction  as  to  age  or  marriage. 

The  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut  in  1893  passed  an  act 
creating  a  State  Board  of  Education  for  t.he  Blind,  which  con- 
sists of  the  Governor,  the  Chief  Justice  and  two  additional  mem- 
bers appointed  by  the  Governor  for  a  term  of  four  years.  This 
board  was  charged  with  the  educational  interests  of  the  blind  of 
the  State,  both  children  and  adults.  They  were  empowered  to 
make  such  rules  as  they  deemed  advisable  in  order  to  carry  out 
the  purpose  of  their  creation.  The  applicants  for  admission  are^ 
determined  by  this  Board  of  Education  upon  the  nomination  of 
the  superintendent  of  the  institution.  The  appointments  of 
adults  are  for  the  purpose  of  learning  a  trade,  and  are  for  a  period 
of  not  exceeding  three  years,  during  which  period  the  State  ap- 
propriates |300  per  annum.  At  the  expiration  of  this  appoint- 
ment the  State  also  permits  an  expenditure  of  not  exceeding  f  200 
for  the  purpose  of  furnishing  the  graduate  with  such  tools  or 
outfit  as  may  be  required  for  the  trade  that,  he  has  learned. 

The  superintendent  reports  that  many  graduates  who  are  good 
workmen  for  others  cannot  succeed  when  they  undertake  to  con- 
duct business  for  themselves,  and  it  is  this  fact  that  causes  the 
superintendent  to  feel  that  the  workshop  feature  will  ultimately 
be  added  to  the  institution.  The  superintendent  states  that,  of 
the  105  adults  who  have  received  industrial  training  at  the  insti- 


28  [ASSEMBLY 

tution,  at  least  50  per  cent,  are  practically  self-supporting.  The 
trades  or  occupations  which  are  taught  and  the  number  receiving 
instruction  in  each  are  as  follows: 

Broom  making,  15  men. 
Chair  caning,  18  men  and  women. 
Mattress  making,  3  persons. 
Upholstering,  1  person. 
Piano  tuning,  2  persons. 
Printing,  16,  mostly  women. 
Typewriting  and  massage,  2  each. 
Cooking,  1. 

VI.     INDUSTRIAL  HOMES. 

The  most  successful  industrial  home  in  the  United  States  for 
l>lind  men  and  blind  women  is  the  Industrial  Home  of  Mechanical 
Trades  for  the  Adult  Blind,  situated  at  Oakland,  Cal.  Inasmuch 
as  it  was  impossible  for  any  of  your  Commissioners  to  visit  this 
institution,  information  on  several  important  points  is  less  defi- 
nite than  is  that  concerning  the  institutions  visited. 

From  recent  reports  and  correspondence  we  glean  the  following 
information :  This  institution,  established  in  1887  by  the  State 
of  California,  by  the  appropriation  of  $65,000  for  its  support,  has 
a  capacity  for  about  110  inmates,  o/nly  about  one-fifth  being 
women.  The  principal  industries  followed  are  the  manufacture 
of  brooms,  mattresses  and  hammocks  and  the  cane  seating  of 
chairs.  The  current  expenses  are  apparently  met  by  the  proceeds 
of  the  labor  of  the  inmates,  but  appropriations  have  been  made 
by  the  Legislature  for  erecting  and  maintaining  the  necessary 
buildings.  The  proceeds  of  the  labor  for  the  fiscal  year  closing 
November  30,  1903,  were  $18,343.99. 


No.  6.]  29 

Judging  from  the  material  at  hand  your  Commissioners  are 
of  the  opinion  that  the  efficiency  of  this  institution  is  due  in  large 
measure  to  the  wis,«  management  of  its  superintendent,  Mr. 
Joseph  Sanders,  a  graduate  of  the  New  York  Institution  for  the 
Blind. 

VII.     WORKSHOPS. 

(1)  The  Columbia    Polytechnic  Institute,  which  was  founded 
by  Mr.  Frank  E.  Cleaveland,  is  situated  at  1808  H  street  North- 
west, Washington,  I).  C.,  and  is  at  the  present  time  merely  a 
small    printing    establishment,    conducted    almost    entirely    by 
blind  persons.     In   this  respect   it  only  emphasizes   the  possi- 
bility of  one  of  the  trades  already  followed  at  the  Hartford 
institution,  with  which  establishment  Mr.  Cleaveland  was  for- 
merly connected.     But  by  the  introduction  of  a  simplex  type- 
setter, which  even  when  it  is  used  by  the  sighted  requires  the 
services  of  two  persons — one  for  -the  keys  and  one  to  justify 
the  type  lines — he  has  rendered  it  possible,  as  this  latter  per- 
son can  also  read  copy  while  a  blind  operator  plays  the  keys, 
to  employ  no  extra  hand  to  read  copy,  while  at  the  same  time 
much  more  work  is  done  than  could  be  accomplished  by  two 
compositors.     But  although  Mr.  Cleveland's  present  plant  is 
very  small,  employing  about  a  dozen  blind  persons,  and  is  also 
limited  almost  entirely  to  a  single  trade,  his  plans,  if  he  can 
obtain  the  congressional  aid  which  he  has  been  expecting  and 
which  he  still  expects,  seem  very  good.    It  is  his  hope  to  found 
an  extensive  institution  or  plant  in  which  he  can  employ  blind 
men  and  women  upon  the  same  conditions  as  if  they  possessed 
their  sight,  offering  them  a  variety  of  trades  and  compelling 
them  to  find  their  own  boarding  quarters  like  the  sighted. 

(2)  As  your  Commissioners  did  not  visit  the  Indiana  Indus- 
trial Home  for  Blind  Men,  situated  at  1146  West  Twenity-s^venth 


30  [ASSEMBLY 

street,  Indianapolis,  they  will  allow  its  superintendent,  Mr.  C.  S. 
McGiffin,  to  tell  his  own  story  regarding  it : 

"  Our  institution  is  not  a  home,  as  its  corporate  name  indi- 
cates, but  it  is  a  factory  organized  to  furnish  indigent  blind  men 
with  employment.  When  we  first  filed  the  articles  of  incorpora- 
tion in  1899  we  were  not  sure  at  that  time  but  that  we  might 
make  it  a  home  as  well  as  a  workshop,  but  after  nearly  four 
years'  experience  in  this  line  of  work  all  of  our  board  of 
directors  and  myself  have  concluded  that  wre  can  do  more  good 
and  get  better  results  by  giving  this  class  of  unfortunates  steady 
employment,  paj'ing  them  wages  according  to  the  quantity  and 
quality  of  their  work  so  as  to  enable  them  to  support  them- 
selves either  at  their  homes  or  boarding  places.  We  hope  in  this 
way  to  place  our  workmen  as  nearly  as  possible  on  an  equality 
with  those  who  are  not  deprived  of  their  sight. 

"All  of  our  workmen  are  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
brooms.  We  have  been  unable  so  far  to  find  any  other  line  of 
industry  which  they  can  work  at  nearly  as  successfully  as  they 
can  at  the  making  of  brooms.  During  the  year  ending  July  1, 
1903,  we  completed  and  sold  nearly  40,000  brooms.  For  this 
wrork  we  paid  in  wrages  to  blind  men  $2,500.  Our  books  show  a 
deficit  of  only  $62.  We  consider  this  a  good  showing,  taking 
into  consideration  that  since  our  beginning  we  have  only  re- 
ceived in  contributions  about  $3,500,  out  of  which  we  have  paid 
for  our  building  and  machinery,  the  ground  being  donated,  which 
only  leaves  us  a  very  small  amount  for  our  working  capital. 

"  We  now  have  only  1.6  men  on  our  payroll.  They  earn  from 
$4  to  $8  a  week.  We  find  ready  sale  for  our  output  and  we  are 
always  behind  with  orders.  It  has  been  our  intention  since  the 
beginning  to  make  this  institution  self-supporting,  and  we  firmly 


No.  6.]  31 

believe  that  we  cau  after  we  receive  a  sufficient  amount  of  funds 
with  which  to  operate  our  factory  with  a  much  larger  force  of 
men.  We  have  applications  from  all  parts  of  the  State  which 
we  cannot  take  on  account  of  the  lack  of  funds.  We  are  slowly 
but  gradually  increasing  our  capacity,  and  we  are  confident  that 
we  are  building  a  good  and  substantial  foundation  for  a  model 
institution  of  its  kind. 

*     *    In  regard  to  age  limit,  I  do  not  think  it  best  to 
admit  men  over  50  years  of  age." 

(3)  The  following  account  of  the  workshop. situated  ait  South 
Boston  is  given  by  Mr.  Anagnos,  superintendent  of  the  Perkins 
Institution  and  Massachusetts  School  for  the  Blind: 

"  This  shop  has   neither   organic   nor   any   other   connection 
whatsoever  with  the  school,  being  an  entirely  separate  estab- 
lishment.    Its  work  is  purely  industrial  or  mechanical  and  is 
S- 

carried  on  in  a  suitable  building  for  the  sole  purpose  of  pro- 
viding profitable  employment  for  a  number  of  blind  persons 
whose  character  is  blameless  and  who  are  both  able  and  eager 
to  earn  their  living  through  their  own  exertions. 

"  The  transference  of  our  salesroom  and  office  to  No.  383 
Boylston  street  has  proved  decidedly  beneficial  to  this  depart- 
ment. Since  this  change  of  location  took  place  there  has  been 
a  steady  increase  in  the  business  of  the  shop,  and  the  time  of 
all  persons  therein  employed  has  been  fully  occupied.  The 
ledger  has  been  closed  with  a  balance  of  f  1,001  in  favor  of  the 
department. 

"  Constant  efforts  have  been  put  forth  to  facilitate  the  sale 
of  useful  and  fancy  articles  made  by  blind  women,  most  of  whom 
are  graduates  of  the  school  and  live  in  their  own  homes." 


32  [ASSEMBLY 

VI II.     COMBINATION  OF  FOREGOING  PLANS. 

(1)  The  Pennsylvania  Working  Home  for  Blind  Men,  which 
is  located  in  Philadelphia  and  is  under  the  superintendency  of 
Mr.  H.  L.  Hall,  himself  a  blind  man,  is  primarily  a  combined 
manufacturing  establishment  and  industrial  borne,  but  it  also 
in  certain  cases  may  become  an  industrial  training  school,  or 
even  a  home  simply.  The  blind  men  whom  it  employs  may  either 
reside  within  rthe  building  or  may  board  outside.  In  the  case 
of  the  former  a  nominal  charge  of  $2.25  per  week  is  made,  which 
is  deducted  from. their  monthly  pay,  while  in  the  case  of  the 
latter,  it  is  believed,  payment  is  made  each  week.  But  a  blind 
man  who  has  not  previously  learned  a  trade  may  be  received 
and  instructed,  and  Mr.  Hall  laughs  ait  the  notion  that  three 
years  should  be  given  simply  to  teaching  a  man  his  trade,  as 
he  claims  that  by  first  putting  him  at  the  simplest  part  of  any 
trade,  e.  g.,  sorting 'broomcorn  and  keeping  him  at  that  work,  he 
can  begin  to  earn  something  within  three  weeks.  Moreover,  when 
a  man  has  once  been  received  into  the  establishment  and  con- 
tinues to  conduct  himself  properly,  he  is  not  discharged  on 
account  of  sickness  or  senility,  there  being  in  connection  with 
this  establishment  what  Mr.  Hall  calls  the  retreat  and  into 
which  those  who  become  unable  to  work  are  retired.  In  this 
retreat  men  are  charged  nothing  for  board,  neither  are  they 
required  to  work  at  all,  but  for  such  work  as  they  may  be  able 
and  may  choose  to  do  they  receive  half  pay,  this  money  being 
given  them  without  any  deductions  for  their  necessary  living 
expenses. 

The  principal  trade  now  followed  is  that  of  broom  making, 
although  the  cane  seating  of  chairs  and  the '  weaving  of  rag 
carpet  are  followed  to  some  extent. 


No.  C.I  33 

This  home  is  supposed  to  receive  a  biennial  appropriation  of 
|35,()0()  from  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  and  an  annual  donation 
of  #5,000  from  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 

The  establishment  is  run  at  a  heavy  loss,  and  it  is  not  therefore 
able  to  receive  all  the  worthy  blind  men  who  apply  for  admis- 
sion, such  men  being  placed  upon  the  waiting  list.  When  visited 
by  your  Commissioners  the  home  was  aiding  about  130  menr 
although  it  is  believed  that  the  waiting  list  was  even  somewhat 
greater  than  that  number.  Mr.  Hall's  last  biennial  report  shows 
that  for  the  preceding  two  years  there  was  a  deficit  of  $55,800.24 
in  order  to  aid  an  average  of  121  blind  men,  47  of  whom  lived 
within  and  74  without  the  building.  This  gives  an  annual  deficit 
of  about  $230.78  for  each  blind  person.  To  account  for  this 
deficit  Mr.  Hall  says,  among  other  things,  that  he  pays  about 
forty-five  cents  a  dozen  more  for  his  brooms  than  sighted  work- 
men generally  receive,  while  he  is  compelled  also  to  employ  some 
sighted  aid,  all  the  items  of  cost  being  shown  in  his  report.  For 
the  coming  two  years  the  State  will  be  asked  for  an  appropria- 
tion of  $60,000  in  order  that  those,  or  a  part  of  those  who  are  upon 
the  waiting  list,  may  be  given  employment.  Indeed,  Mr.  Hall 
admits  that  it  costs  as  much  to  furnish  his  men  with  work  as  to 
maintain  them  in  idleness. 

(2)  The  Working  Home  for  Blind  Women  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia, which  is  a  private  charity,  maintains  about  40  working 
women  and  20  who  have  become  too  old  to  work,  no  one  being 
received  who  is  not  in  good  health  or  who  is  above  45  years  of 
age.     The  annual  cost  of  this  home  is  about  $12,500,  i.  e.,  about 
$200  an  inmate,  thus  approximating  to  Mr.  HalPs  deficit. 

(3)  The  Illinois  Industrial  Home  for  the  Blind,  situated  in 
the  city  of  Chicago,  was  not  personally  visited  by  any  member 


34  [ASSEMBLY 

of  your  Commission,  the  following  account  being  gleaned  from 
its  report : 

u  This  institution  is  designed  to  furnish  such  employment  to 
the  blind  men  and  women  of  the  State  as  will  enable  them  to  be 
self-supporting  and  self-respecting  by  the  i-eason  of  their  ability 
to  thus  maintain  themselves.  It  was  established  in  1894  by  the 
State.  It  provides  work  for  70  inmates,  male  and  female,  at  an 
annual  per  capita  cost  of  about  |400.  Twelve  workmen  live  out- 
side and  the  rest  live  in  the  home.  The  principal  industry  pur- 
sued is  the  Snaking  of  brooms.  Some  do  piecework,  others  are 
paid  by  the  day.  The  maximum  week  wages  for  blind  inmates 
is  $1  per  day,  the  minimum  66f  cents  per  day.  Thirty  seeing 
people  are  employed  in  the  institution.  Ready  sale  for  all 

articles  manufactured  i»  found."     The  superintendent's  idea,  as  a 

^-- 

result  of  his  experience,  would  be  to  establish  workshops  for  the 
blind,  not  homes. 

(4)  Wisconsin  also  has  just  undertaken  a  measure  for  the  aid 
of  the  adult  blind  of  that  State  which,  as  the  plans  are  not  yet 
fully  perfected,  will  be  best  explained  by  the  law,  which  is  here- 
with subjoined. 

"An  act  to  provide  the  means  of  self-support  to  adult  blind  arti- 
sans and  the  means  of  instruction  to  those  desiring  to  become 
artisans,  and  to  appropriate  money  therefor. 
"  Preamble. — Whereas,  there  are  many  adult  blind  residents  of 
this  State  who  have  learned  trades,  either  at  the  State  School 
for  the  Blind  or  elsewhere,  but  who  are  greatly  embarrassed  by 
reason  of  their  infirmity  in  securing  employment  and  who  find 
themselves  quite  unable  to  compete  successfully  with  those  having 
sight,  who  are  engaged  in  the  same  trades;  and  whereas,  the 
State  School  for  the  Blind  is  not,  and  while  it  remains  a  school 
cannot,  be  adapted  to  furnish  those  adult  artisans  with  proper 


No.  6.]  35 

facilities  to  pursue  their  respective  vocations  without  serious 
injury  to  the  school ;  and  whereas,  it  is  believed  that  if  a  place 
and  some  suitable  appliances  were  furnished  them,  they  could  so 
•compete  and  become  self-supporting. 

"  To  the  end,  therefore,  that  such  reasonable  aid  may  be  ex- 
tended to  such  persons  as  will  enable  them  successfully  to  pursue 
their  several  vocations, 

"  The  People  of  The  State  of  Wisconsin,  represented  in  Senate 
and  Asscni-ltli/,  <1o  enact  as  follows: 

"  Section  1.  Duty  of  board  of  control;  material  and  tools. — The 
State  Board  of  Control  is  hereby  authorized  and  directed,  sub- 
jeer  lo  the  approval  of  the  Governor,  to  procure  a  building,  by 
lease  or  otherwise,  or  suitable  apartments  in  some  building 
situated  in  the  city  of  Milwaukee,  in  which  any  blind  citizen  of 
this  State  having  learned  a  trade  may,  if  practicable,  pursue  his 
vocation  on  his  own  account  and  receive  for  his  own  use  the 
whole  of  the  proceeds  of  his  labor.  Such  building  or  apartments 
shall  be  heated  and  lighted  under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of 
Control  at  the  expense  of  the  State.  As  a  general  rule  it  is  ex- 
pected that  artisans  availing  themselves  of  the  privileges  of  this 
act  will  furnish  their  own  materials  and  the  tools  required  in 
their  employment,  but  in  cases  of  necessity  the  board  may  assist 
such  workmen  by  furnishing  for  their  use  a  limited  amount  of 
such  tools. 

"Section  2.  Instruction. — The  said  board  may  also,  in  its  dis- 
cretion, provide  means  of  instruction  in  such  building  or  apart- 
ments to  any  adult  blind  resident  of  the  State  who  desires  to  learn 
a  trade,  to  enable  such  person  to  avail  himself  of  the  privileges 
and  benefits  conferred  by  this  act. 

"Section  3.  Superintendent;  compensation. — Said  board  is  au- 
thorized to  employ  some  person  to  have  charge  and  superintend- 
ence of  such  building  or  apartments  Who  shall  direct  what  portion 
thereof  shall  be  used  by  each  person  desiring  to  use  the  same. 
Said  superintendent  shall  be  paid  a  compensation  to  be  fixed  by 
the  said  board. 


36  [ASSEMBLY 

"Section  4.  Appropriation. — There  is  hereby  appropriated  out 
of  any  moneys  in  the  State  Treasury  not  otherwise  appropriated, 
the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars  (f  5,000)  to  be  expended  by  the 
Board  of  Control  in  executing  the  requirements  of  this  act  during 
the  current  calendar  year,  and  a  further  sum  of  five  thousand 
dollars  ($5,000)  for  such  expenses  during  the  year  1904.  The 
expenditures  under  this  act  shall  not  exceed  the  sum  herein  ap- 
propriated unless  the  amount  shall  be  increased  pursuant  to  the 
provisions  of  section  563  of  the  Statutes  of  1898. 

"Section  5.  This  act  shall  take  effect  and  be  enforced  from  and 
after  its  passage  and  publication. 

"Approved  May  22,  1903." 

(5)  After  much  consideration  of  the  matter  the  State  of  Michi- 
gan last  winter  provided  a  plan  for  aiding  the  adult  blind,  which 
includes  the  establishment  of  an  industrial  home,  the  providing 
of  free  instruction  and  training,  the  establishment  of  an  informa- 
tion and  employment  bureau,  together  with  a  circulating  library. 
It  also  provides  for  the  furnishing  <of  a  suitable  outfit  of  machin- 
ery, tools,  etc.,  for  those  who  may  need  them  in  order  to  follow 
the  trades  which  they  have  learned. 

The  general  government  of  this  institution  is  to  be  vested  in 
a  board  of  three  trustees,  exclusive  of  the  Governor,  who  is  a 
member  ex  officio,  which  board  is  to  be  called  "Board  of  Trustees 
for  the  Blind."  This  board  is  appointed  by  the  Governor,  with 
the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate,  the  full  term  of  office  of  the 
members  being  six  years ;  and  it  is  also  provided  that  one  member 
of  the  board  shall  always  be  a  blind  man.  No  salary  is  paid,  but 
its  members  are  allowed  their  traveling  and  other  necessary 
expenses. 

The  duties  of  the  board  are  thus  defined  by  law :  "Said  board 
of  trustees  shall  have  the  power,  and  it  shall  be  their  duty,  so  to 
provide,  equip  and  control  the  said  institution  as  to  carry  into 


No.  6.]  37 

effect  all  the  intents  and  purposes  of  this  act;  and  to  this  end 
shall  establish,  open  and  regulate  an  industrial  or  polytechnic 
school  and  factory,  a.  working  home,  and  an  employment  and  in- 
formation bureau  and  circulating  library,  for  the  benefit  of  adult 
blind  persons  of  good  moral  character,  together  with  such  other 
departments  as  in  their  judgment  may  seem  wise  and  judicious 
and  best  calculated  to  promote  the  objects  and  the  efficiency  of 
said  institution." 

It  is  still  further  provided  that  persons  of  good. moral  character 
may  be  received  into  this  institution  between  the  ages  of  18  and 
0>0,  and  also,  at  the  discretion  of  the  board,  those  over  60;  while 
with  the  consent  of  the  Board  of  Control  of  the  Michigan  School 
for  the  Blind  they  may  also  be  admitted  between  the  ages  of  14 
and  18  years.  It  is  also  provided  that  the  period  of  instruction  in 
any  particular  case  shall  not  exceed  three  years,  the  State  mean- 
while defraying  all  necessary  expenses. 

For  the  accomplishment  of  these  purposes  the  State  has  appro- 
priated the  sum  of  #85,000  for  the  first  year  and  $25,000  for  the 
second  year  of  the  institution. 

The  act  making  these  provisions  is  entitled:  "An  act  To  estab- 
lish the  Michigan  Employment  Institution  for  the  Blind  and  pro- 
vide for  its  management,  to  make  an  appropriation  therefor,  and 
to  provide  for  a  tax  to  meet  the  same,"  but  as  it  is  voluminous, 
consisting  of  fifteen  sections,  and  as  the  details  of  this  institu- 
tion are  not  yet  arranged,  it  is  believed  that  the  above  synopsis 
will  prove  to  be  a  sufficiently  detailed  account. 

GENERALITY     OF     MOVEMENT     TO     AID     THE     ADULT 

BLIND. 

If  each  of  the  provisions  which  have  been  previously  men- 
tioned be  examined  with  reference  to  locality  of  inception  or 
of  operation,  as  the  case  may  be,  it  will  appear  that  the  move- 


38  [ASSEMBLY 

merit  to  aid  the  adult  blind  of  the  United  States  in  some  manner 
is  very  general  among-  the  people  and  States  of  the  Union.  This 
fact  will  be  more  evident  from  the  provisions  made  by  each 
State  if  examined  separately. 

(1)  California  has  an  industrial  home  containing  considerably 
more  than  100  adult  blind  persons. 

(2)  Connecticut  has   the   largest,    if   not   the   only,    industrial 
training/  school  in  the  United  States. 

(3)  From  this  training  school  the  Columbia  Polytechnic  Insti- 
tute of  Washington,  1).  C.,  originated;  and  it  may  also  be  noticed 
in  passing  that  there  is  a    home    for    the    blind    in    Washington 
which  your  Commissioners  did  not  visit  because  it  is  small  and 
possesses  no  industrial  features  of  importance. 

(4)  Illinois  has,  by  legislative  enactment,  founded  a  combined 
home  and  shop  in  the  city  of  Chicago. 

(5)  Indiana  has  a  true  irorkxho/)  incorporated  as  an  indusirial 
home,  the  home  feature  having  been  abandoned. 

(6)  The  State  of  Iowa  in  1892  founded  an  industriul  home  for 
both  sexes,  but  being  unwise  in  the  selection  of  a  small  rural 
town  as  a  site,  and  unfortunate  in  its  management,  it   failed  to 
retain  the  confidence  of  the  people,  the   Legislature  refused  to 
appropriate  the  necessary  funds  and  the   institution   has  been 
compelled  to  suspend  operations  for   the  present,   though   the 
State  still  owns  the  property. 

(7)  It  has  also  come  to  the1  knowledge4  of  your  Commissioners 
that  a   movement   has  been  started   in    the   State   of   Maine   to 
found  an  "Industrial  Home  and  School  for  the  Blind,"  and  the 
Legislature  will  at  its  next  session  be  asked  to  appropriate  a 
sum  of  money  for  its  establishment.     Hut  as  the  plan  is  only  in 
embryo,  no  definite  information  regarding  it    can  be  given. 


No.  (>.|  39 

(S)  In  Massachusetts  a  workshop  for  those  of  the  adult  blind 
wlio  can  avail  themselves  of  its  privileges  is  maintained  under 
the  control  of  the  Massachusetts  school.  In  addition  to  this, 
the  movement  for  the  instruction  of  the  adult  blind  in  their 
homes  was  initiated  in  this  State;  and  in  the  last  place,  the 
State  created  last  summer  a  commission  similar  to  that  which 
was  created  by  your  honorable  body,  the  report  of  which  com- 
mission has  just  been  published. 

(H)  The  State  of  Michigan  appropriated  last  year  fthe  sum  of 
#110,000  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  the  adult  blind,  although  the 
institution  which  is  to  be  founded  is  not  yet  in  operation. 

( 1.0 )  In  New  .Jersey  there  is  a  home  containing  about  50  women 
under  the  direction  of  the  Sisters;  of  Charity. 

(11)  The  city  of  New  York  has  for  a  long  time  pensioned  most 
of  its  adult  blind  citizens,  in  addition  to  which  private  philan- 
throphy  has  founded  no  less  than  four  homes;  but  outside  of  the 
city  the  first   movement   to  better  the  condition  of  the  adult 
blind   seems   to   have   been   made   by  the  appointment   of  your 
Commissioners. 

(12)  To  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  belongs  the  oldest  and  best 
known  of  all  the  employment  agencies  for  the  adult  blind  in 
this  country,  the  Pennsylvania    Workin-y  Home  for  Blind  Men, 
and  private  philanthropy  has  founded  a  large  institution  for  the 
maintenance  of  blind  women. 

(!.'{)  Last  of  all.  the  State  of  Wisconsin  has  appropriated 
money  for  an  experimental  traininy  school  and  workshop  for  the 
adult  blind. 

Thus  it  will  appear  that,  excluding  the  State  of  New  York,  a 
movement  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  adult  blind  has 
been  felt  in  eleven  States,  as  well  as  in  the  District  of  Columbia; 


40  [ASSKMl'.LY 

and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  impulse  which  has  made 
itself  apparent  in  these  States  is  silently  at  work  and  will 
shortly  exhibit  itself  in  many  others. 

PROVISIONS    FOR   THE    ADULT    BLIND    IN    OTHER 
COUNTRIES. 

No  member  of  your  Commission  felt  himself  warranted  in 
attempting  a  personal  visitation  of  any  of  the  establishments 
for  The  adult  blind  in  Europe,  although  it  is  believed  that  some 
of  these  have  reached  a  degree  of  efficiency  higher  than  That 
which  has  been  attained  by  corresponding  institutions  in  the 
United  States.  Moreover,  as  the  method  of  correspondence  is 
always  slow  and  unsatisfactory,  requiring  usually  four  or  live 
letters  of  inquiry  before  The  exact  information  desired  ran  be 
obtained,  your  Commissioners  found  it  advisable  to  confine 
their  inquiries  to  Great  Britain;  and  even  here  the  letters  and 
reports  which  have  been  received  are  not  generally  of  such  a 
character  as  would  enable  a  ]>erson  to  form  an  accurate  esti- 
mate of  the  true  status  of  each  institution  with  reference  to  The 
work  of  your  Commission. 

The  most  successful  and  most  celebrated  of  all  of  The  indus- 
trial institutions  for  the  adult  blind  in  the  British  empire  is 
undoubtedly  that  which  is  situated  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  and 
as  the  head  of  that  institution  recently  visited  the  United 
States,  ii  was  the  good  fortune  of  one  of  your  Commissioners 
to  obtain  a  personal  interview  with  him,  from  which  he  was  able 
to  form  a  very  accurate  notion  as  to  the  modus  operand!  of  the 
establishment. 

The  Royal  Glasgow  Asylum  for  The  Blind,  under  the.  super- 
in/tendency  of  Mr.  Thomas  Stoddart,  may  be  said  to  comprise 
three  departments,  the  first  being  a  common  school",  the  second 


\<».  (>.]    •  41 

jin    industrial    training    school    and    tin*    third    a    mannfabturing 
establishment. 

In  the  school  the  children  are  generally  ke]»1  until  the  age  of 
Hi,  although  in  a  few  cases  this  period  is  extended  for  one  or 
two  years.  The  number  of  pupils  in  attendance  is  usually  about 
80.  After  leaving  school  the  pupil  generally  enters  the  second 
department,  and  he  is  there  apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  which 
he  intends  to  follow,  the  rules  being  the  same  as  those  which  the 
trade  unions  prescribe  for  sighted  persons.  This  department 
trains  also  those  who  lose  their  sight  in  adult  life,  and  many 
such  receive  training. 

As  the  three  departments  of  this  institution  are  for  the  adult 
blind  of  both  sexes,  the  trades  taught  in  this  department  are 
some  for  men,  some  for  women  and  some  for  both;  and  those 
trades,  which  are  nine  or  ten  in  number,  omitting  certain  special 
cases,  are  the  following: 

(1)   Basket  making,  which  is  practiced  by  men  only. 

i-)  Mat  weaving  of  many  kinds,  being  practiced  exclusively  by 
men. 

I.'])  Brush  making,  a  trade  for  men  only.  In  this  connection 
Mr.  Stoddart  said  that  they  had  been  able  to  secure  contracts 
for  furnishing  such  brushes  or  brooms  as  are  employed  in  sweep 
Ing  the  streets  of  Glasgow  or  of  other  cities.  It  must,  however, 
l>e  borne  in  mind  that  broom  making,  as  practiced  in  this  coun- 
try, cannot  be  followed  in  Glasgow,  since  it  would  be  necessary 
to  import,  ait  great  expense,  all  the  corn  required. 

(4)  Cane  seating  of  chairs,  a  trade  which  is  followed  mostly, 
If  not  entirely,  by  women;  and  this  is  not  peculiar  to  Glasgow. 

(5)  Mattress  making,  or  as  the  report  says, k'  bedding."  a  trade 
using  the  combined  labor  -of  men  and  women. 


42  [ASSEMBLY 

(6)  Wire  work,  a  trade  which  is  followed  by  men  only. 

(7)  Some  kinds  of  carpentering  are  practiced  by  a  few  of  the 
men,  and  one  of  them  is  even  running  a  buzz-saw.     For  this  Mr. 
Stoddart  has  been  told  that  he  was  wicked,  although  he  says 
that  he  does  not  think  the  man  is  in  the  slightest  danger.     They 
also  make  armorial  shields  for  halls,  and  do  much  work  which 
is  thought  to  require  sight. 

(8)  The  cordage  trade,  which  employs  both  sexes,  is  one  of  con- 
siderable extent. 

(9)  The  sacking  trade,  involving  various  kinds  of  cloth  work, 
is  carried  on  by  women  only. 

(10)  Knitting,  fancy  work  and  general  sewing  are  also  learned 
by  many  of  the  girls;  and  Mr.  Stoddart  says  that  the  most  serv- 
iceable occupation  which   he  has  yet    found   for  women    is    the 
use  of  the  sewing  machine.     He  always  runs  these  machines  by 
some  power  other  than  foot  in  order  that   the  operator  may  be 
able  to  give  her  whole  attention  to  guiding  her  work,  and  also 
because  IK*  thinks   the  blind  women  are  physically   weak   and 
does  not  wish  to  weary  them. 

In  the  third,  or  manufacturing  department,  work  is  furnished 
to  those  blind,  persons  who.  having  finished  their  industrial 
training,  choose  to  continue  their  connection  with  the  institu- 
tion. This  department  generally  employs  about  200  blind  per- 
sons, all  of  whom  reside  without  the  institution;  and  even  in 
the  other  departments  pupils  are  not  .only  allowed  but  are 
compelled  to  live  outside  when  it  is  possible  for  them  to  do  so. 
The  workmen  are  paid  by  the  piece,  and  there  is  a  system  of 
grading  according  to  the  excellency  of  their  work.  For  those 
of  the  first  grade  a  minimum  wage  of  18  shillings  per  week  is 
fixed;  i.  e..  that  wage  is  made  up  to  them  if  they  cannot  earn  it. 
while  a  very  few  have  earned  as  much  as  -  pounds  per  week. 


All  of  the  workers  belong  to  a  mutual  benefit  association,  to 
which  they  pay  1  shilling  per  week,  and  which  is  managed  en- 
tirely by  themselves.  Kach  member  receives  1  pound  per  week 
during  sickness,  or  as  a  pension  when  lit4  is  disabled  by  ago;  and 
in  case  of  dealh  1*  pounds  are  to  be  paid  toward  his  funeral 
expenses.  This  society  also  s-ends  visitors  to  investigate  the 
condition  of  those  blind  of  (ilasgow  who  are  not  connected  with 
the  institution  and  to  aid  them  with  work. 

In  order  to  increase  the  sale  of  their  manufactured  goods  Mr. 
Stoddarf  employs  the  services  of  traveling  agents,  and  he  also 
keeps  on  hand  certain  goods  not  made  by  the  blind  but  of  a 
character  connecting  them  with  such  goods.  Thus,  to  sell  his 
bedding,  he  keeps  bedsteads;  and  because  he  sells  clotheslines, 
he  keeps  clothespins,  etc. 

While  Mr.  Stoddart  admits  that  a  shop  maintaining  one,  or  at 
the  most  two,  trades,  could  be  more  easily  managed  than  that 
which  he  controls,  he  does  not  agree  with  Mr.  Hall  of  Philadel- 
phia' in  thinking  that  it  is  advisable  to  thus  restrict  the  industries 
for  the  blind.  He  says  that  whatever  may  be  the  conditions 
elsewhere,  he  is  certain  that  he  could  not  sell  all  the  goods  which 
his  shop  would  turn  out  were  his  people  confined  to  the  pursuit 
of  one  or  two  trades  only. 

Mr.  Stoddarf  s  experience  goes  far  toward  answering  the  ques- 
tion as  to  the  ability  of  those  blind  persons  who  lose  their  sight 
in  middle  life  to  learn  and  successfully  follow  any  trade.  For, 
owing  to  the  conditions  which  prevail  in  Glasgow,  there  being 
many  dangerous  occupations  among  the  sighted,  e.  g.,  the  manu- 
facture of  dynamite,  etc.,  many  men  have  their  eyes  destroyed 
long  after  they  have  become  adults.  Hence  many  such  persons 
have  entered  the  training  department,  and  he  says  that  it  has 


44  [ASSEMBLY 

ly  been  found  possible  to  teach  them  some  one  or  more  of 
the  trades.  This  fact  affords  also  another  argument  for  a  variety 
of  pursuits,  since  many  of  those  who  enter  the  training  depart- 
ment under  the  circumstances  which  have  just  been  explained 
have  at  some  period  of  life  followed  an  occupation  which  is  the 
same  as  or  kindred-to  that  which  they  now  decide  to  adopt. 

Mr.  Stoddart  thinks  a  city  'to  be  the  best  place  for  his  or  a 
similar  establishment,  since  in  a  small  community  the  coloniza- 
tion of  a  considerable  number  of  adult  blind  persons  whose  sup- 
port was  not  guaranteed  from  without  would  probably  awaken  a 
fear  that  many  of  them  might  ultimately  become  a  public  charge. 

It  may  be  added  that  the  number  of  sighted  persons  employed 
in  the  shop  is  about  ten  per  cent.,  and  that  the  workshops  are 
self-supporting. 

In  addition  to  this  personal  interview  your  Commissioners 
have  also  corresponded  with  and  received  letters  or  reports  from 
-.'»  industrial  and  other  institutions,  list  of  which  is  given  in 

» 

Appendix  E,  page  (>5  of  this  report. 

These  letters  and  reports,  however,  while  containing  much 
valuable  information  which  your  Commissioners  could  supply  to 
their  successors,  should  they  be  appointed,  are  not  of  such  a 
character  as  would  enable  a  person  in  most  cases  to  say  what  is 
the  precise  status  of  each  institution  with  reference  to  the  work 
of  your  Commission.  It  appears,  however,  that  the  larger  of 
these  institutions  are  conducted  very  much  upon  the  plan  of  that 
which  is  situated  at  Glasgow,  while  most  of  the  smaller  are  in- 
dustrial training  schools  or  workshops,  and  also  that  in  Great 
Britain  much  more  attention  is  given  to  the  industrial  than  to 
the  intellectual  training  of  the  blind. 


No.  6.]  45 

There  are  also  a  few  points  upon  which  the  writers  of  the 
letters  are  tolerably  Avell  agreed.  The  first  is  that,  except  for 
women,  the  adult  blind  should  be  furnished  with  workshops 
where  they  can  work  as  "  outmates "  and  not  with  industrial 
homes.  A  no  (her  point  is  that  they  should  be  paid  trade-union 
wages,  although  it  appears  from  the  reports  that  it  is  necessary 
in  many  cases  to  supplement  these  by  methods  which  need  not  be 
described  here.  The  trades  taught  are  also  much  the  same  in 
each,  viz,  brush  making,  basket  making,  cane  seating  of  chairs 
and  mattress  making,  which  they  call  "bedding";  but  there  is, 
as  might  be  expected,  considerable  diversity  of  opinion  among 
these  writers  as  to  what  trade  or  trades  are  best. 

Besides  the  letters  and  reports  to  which  reference  has  just  been 
made,  those  who  may  be  interested  in  the  industrial  training  of 
the  blind  would  do  well  to  examine  Armitage's.  "  Education  and 
Employment  of  the  Blind  "  (1886)  ;  "  Report  of  the  Conference  on 
Matters  Relating  to  the  Blind,"  held  at  Westminster  in  April, 
1!)02;  and  Henry  J.  Wilson's  pamphlet,  entitled  "  Information 
-with  Regard  to  Institutions,  Societies  and  Classes  for  the  Blind 
in  England  and  Wales"  (1896),  all  of  which  will  furnish  much 
valuable  information. 

PREVENTION  OF  BLINDNESS. 

Although  your  Commission  has  not  been  charged  with  the  duty 
of  investigating  the  causes  of  blindness,  still  it  is  evident  from 
the  work  done  elsewhere,  especially  in  Great  Britain  by  the  So- 
ciety for  the  Prevention  of  Blindness,  that  much  can  be  done, 
particularly  among  young  children,  to  prevent  the  loss  of  sight. 
The  State  has  already  taken  cognizance  of  the  importance  of  this 
fact  by  the  passage  of  a  law  known  as  chapter  41  of  the  Laws 


46  [ASSEMBLY 

of  1890,  entitled  "An  act  for  the  prevention  of  blindness."  The 
first  two  sections  of  this  law,  giving  in  brief  the  provisions  of  the 
act,  are  printed  in  full. 

"  Section  1.  Should  any  midwife  or  nurse,  having  charge  of 
an  infant  in  this  State,  notice  that  orfe  or  both  eyes  of  such 
infant  are  inflamed  or  reddened  at  any  time  within  two  weeks 
after  its  birth  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  such  midwife  or  nurse,  so 
having  charge  of  such  infant,  to  report  the  fact  in  writing,  within 
six  hours,  to  the  health  officer,  or  some  legally  qualified  prac- 
titioner of  medicine,  of  the  city,  town  or  district  in  which  the 
parents  of  the  infant  reside. 

kt  §  2.  Any  failure  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this  act 
shall  be  punished  by  a  fine  not  to  exceed  $100,  or  imprisonment 
not  to  exceed  six  months,  or  both." 

Your  Commission  is  assured  that  if  work  of  this  character 
were  carried  out  more  generally  in  conjunction  with  existing 
authorities  sight  might  be  saved  in  the  case  of  many  children 
where  otherwise  blindness  inevitably  results. 

GENERAL  CONCLUSIONS. 

Although  time  did  not  permit  your  Commissioners  to  complete 
their  investigations  as  to  the  condition  of  the  adult  blind  of  the 
State  along  the  lines  indicated,  nevertheless  the  following  general 
statements  will,  they  believe,  only  be  confirmed  by  more  extended 
examination : 

I  1 )  The  blind  of  the  State  are  in  general  very  poor,  and  they 
usually  have  as  their  nearest  relatives  persons  who  are  not  in 
good  financial  circumstances. 

(2)  At  least  65  per  cent,  of  them  are  too  old  to  acquire  and  to 
follow  any  industrial  occupation,  while  another  and  unknown 
proportion  of  them  are  physically  or  mentally  unsound. 


No.  6.]  47 

<:V)  Tn  the  case  of  many  who  are  sound,  long  enforced  idleness 
has  destroyed  the  desire  to  work,  so  that  it  would  require  time  to 
overcome  the  indolence  to  which  they  have  become  habituated. 

(4)  Most  of  the  blind,  especially  among  the  women,  do  not 
travel  far  alone,  and  hence  they  must  reside  near  their  work  or  it 
must  be  carried  to  them. 

i;"i)   The  adult  blind  of  the  Greater  New  York  are  apparently 

- 

belter  situated  than  those  of  the  rest  of  the  State,  and  they  do 
not  therefore  evince  any  particular  desire  for  State  assistance. 
But  it  is  not  intended  here  to  assert  that  a  more  thorough  in- 
vestigation might  not  show  these  seemingly  favorable  conditions 
to  be  in  rcdliti/  no  more  advantageous  than  those  which  prevail  in 
other  localities. 

<(i)  As  a  result  of  a  personal  visitation  of  nearly  1,000  of  the 
blind  of  the  State  and  of  correspondence  with  thcTsuperintendents 
of  the  poor  the  Commission  find  that  many  of  the  blind,  especially 
of  the  women,  are  for  the  most  part  comfortably  cared  for  in  the 
homes  either  of  relatives  or  of  friends.  It  would  seem  unwise 
under  such  conditions  fo  cultivate  the  "  institutional  habit "  by 
segregating  those  thus  situated  in  homes  especially  provided  for 
the  blind. 

(7)  Extended    experience    in    Great    Britain  and    the    United 
States  seems  to  indicate  that  "workshops,"  for  adult  blind  men  at 
least  who  are  of  working  age,  are  generally  far  more  successful 
than  are  ''  industrial  homes." 

(8)  The  experience  of  all  engaged  in  the  education  of  the  blind, 
and  the  facts  gathered  by  your  Commission  in  its  work,  prove  con- 
clusively that  a  few  of  the  adult  blind,  even  under  existing  condi- 
tions, become  wholly  or  partially  self-supporting. 


48  [ASSEMBLY 

(9)  The  experience  of  very   many   blind   men   who  have  en- 
deavored to  follow  the  trades  learned  at  some  school  for  the  blind 
proves  that,  while  the  product  of  their  labor  would  probably  be 
of  sufficient  value  to  afford  them  a  comfortable  support,  the  time 
consumed  in  selling  this  product  prevents  them  in  reality  from, 
gaining  such  support. 

(10)  Your  Commission  believe  that  adults  and  children  should 
not  be  trained  in  the  same  institution  or  under  the  same  manage- 
ment.    Some  form  of  manual  training  for  boys  should  take  the 
place  of  the  industrial  training  now  conducted  in  schools  for  the 
young  blind. 

(11)  Your  Commission  find  that  all  attempts  to  combine  indus- 
try and  charity  in  the  same  establishment  and  under  the  same 
management  have  proved  in  every  instance  to  be  at  best  financial 
failures,  and  in  its  judgment  such  must  continue  to  be  the  case 
since  by  this  combination  a  premium  is  put  upon  idleness  by  giv- 
ing the  most  charity  to  the  least  industrious  person. 

(12)  It  is  generally  recognized  by  social  economists  that,  while 
the  giving  of  pensions  is  the  simplest  method  of  aiding  those  who- 
seem  to  require  financial  assistance,  it  is  in  a  very  large  number 
of  instances  not  only  an  unwise  method  but  is  demoralizing  in  its- 
effect  upon  the  recipients. 

(13)  With  all  the  deductions  that  have  been  previously  made, 
there  are  still  very  many  adult  blind  men  and  women  who  are  ca- 
pable of  being  taught  and  of  following  some  industrial  trade  for 
whom  suitable  provisions  should  be  made. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

First. — We  recommend  that  the  work  of  personal  visitation, 
begun  by  t.his  Commission  shall  be  carried  on  and  completed  for 
the  blind  of  the  entire  State. 


No.  6.]  49 

Second. — We  recommend  that  provision  be  made  for  the  indus- 
trial training  of  the  blind  over  21  years  of  age — and  to  that  end 
that  in  the  city  of  Buffalo  there  be  established  tentatively,  in  a 
rented  building,  one  industrial  training  school  or  " school-shop," 
and  that  as  soon  as  possible  manual  training  replace  the  indus- 
tries now  followed  in  the  State  School  for  the  Blind. 

Third. — We  recommend  such  modification  of  existing  laws  as 
will  enable  the  blind  to  sell  their  products  to  State  and  muni- 
cipal institutions. 

Fourth.— We  further  recommend  that  measures  shall  be  taken 
to  determine  the  causes  of  existing  blindness,  and  that  such  pre- 
ventive measures  be  employed  as  will  tend  to  lessen  future  blind- 
ness in  the  State. 

Fifth. — To  carry  out  the  foregoing  recommendations  we  finally 
recom mend  that,  there  shall  be  established  a  permanent  Commis- 
sion ;  and  in  accord  with  the  provisions  of  the  aeTby  which  your 
Commission  was  appointed  we  herewith  subjoin  the  draft  of  a 
bill  embodying  the  recommendations  contained  in  this  report. 

That  the  proposed  legislation  is  in  accord  with  a  very  general 
movement  in  Great  Britian  and  the  United  States  is  evidenced, 
first,  by  the  appointment  in  1885  by  the  English  government  of 
''The  Royal  Commission  on  the  Blind,  Deaf  and  Dumb,"  which 
did  not  issue  its  report  until  1889;  second,  by  the  creation  by  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Connecticut  in  1893  of  a  similar 
permanent  commission  known  as  the  "State  Board  of  Education 
for  the  Blind;"  and  third,  by  the  fact  that  the  Massachusetts 
Commission  to  Investigate  the  Condition  of  the  Adult  Blind  of 
that  State,  appointed  in  1903,  has  just  presented  the  draft  of  a 
bill  which  provides  for  the  establishment  of  a  permanent  "Board 
for  the  Improvement  of  the  Condition  of  the  Adult  Blind  in 
Massachusetts." 

I 


50  [ASSEMBLY,  No.  6.] 

In  conclusion  we  call  attention  to  the  appendices  which  form 
a  part  of  this  report,  and  which  contain  various  information  in 
statistical  and  tabulated  form.  By  reference  to  the  financial 
statement  in  Appendix  F  it  will  appear  that  less  than  one-half 

of  the  moneys  appropriated  for  their  work  has  been  expended  by 

• 
your  Commissioners. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

P.  PARK  LEWIS, 

President. 

LEWIS  BUFFETT  OARLL, 

Vice- President. 

»  O.  H.  BURRITT, 

Secretary. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  COMMISSION, 

BATAVIA,  N.  Y.,  February  1,  1904. 


DRAFT  OF  PROPOSED  BILL. 

An  act  to  provide  for  the  appointment  of  a  permanent  Commis- 
sion to  supervise,  direct  and  control  the  educational  and  in- 
dustrial interests  of  the  adult  blind  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
and  to  make  appropriations  to  meet  the  expenses  of  such 
Commission. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and 
Assembly,  do  enact  as  follows: 

Section  1.  Within  thirty  days  after  the  passage  of  this  act,  the 
Governor  shall  appoint  a  permanent  Commission  of  three  persons, 
which  shall  be  known  as  the  Commission  for  the  Improvement  of 
the  Condition  of  the  Adult  Blind  in  the  State  of  New  York. 

§  2.  The  term  of  office  of  the  Commissioners  shall  be  three  years, 
but  of  the  first  Commission  appointed  the  term  of  one  member 
shall  expire  at  the  end  of  one  year  and  that  of  another  at  the  end 
of  two  years.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  term  of  each  his  successor 
shall  be  appointed  for  a  full  term  of  three  years. 

§  3.  This  Commission  shall,  as  soon  as  possible  after  its  appoint- 
ment, meet  and  determine  by  lot  the  length  of  term  of  service  of 
each  Commissioner,  as  specified  in  section  2  of  this  act. 

§  4.  The  Commission  shall,  at  its  first  meeting,  elect  one  of  its 
members  as  president,  who  shall  preside  at  its  meetings,  and  who 
shall  have  power  to  call  meetings  when  it  shall  be  deemed  advis- 
able. 

§  5.  The  members  of  said  Commission  shall  serve  without  com- 
pensation, but  they  shall  be  allowed  reasonable  and  necessary 
expenses  incurred  in  the  performance  of  their  several  duties  as 
Commissioners,  same  to  be  audited  by  the  Comptroller  and  paid 
by  the  Treasurer. 

§  6.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  this  Commission  to  prepare  and  to 
maintain  by  personal  visitation,  correspondence  or  such  other 
means  as  may  seem  advisable,  a  complete  record  of  the  adult 
blind  in  the  State  of  New  York,  which  record  shall  describe  the 


52  [ASSEMBLY,,  No.  6.] 

condition,  cause  of  blindness,  capacity  for  educational  and  in- 
dustrial training  of  each,  together  with  such  other  facts  as  may 
seem  to  the  Commission  to  be  of  value. 

§  7.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Commission  to  make  inquiries 
concerning  the  causes  of  blindness,  to  learn  what  proportion  of 
these  cases  are  preventable  and  to  inaugurate  such  preventive 
measures  for  the  State  of  New  York  as  may  seem  wise. 

§  8.  The  Commission  may  aid  those  of  the  adult  blind,  whom 
they  consider  worthy,  in  finding  employment  and  may  develop 
industry  in  their  homes,  or  supply  supplemental  educational 
opportunities  to  those  for  whom  such  aid  would  be  especially 
helpful.  In  furtherance  thereof  they  may  furnish  material,  tools 
or  such  other  assistance  as  may  seem  necessary  to  an  amount  not 
exceeding  |200  to  any  one  individual,  and  may  establish  an 
exchange  for  the  marketing  of  the  products  of  their  labor. 

§  9.  The  Commission  shall,  with  the  approval  of  the  Governor, 
establish  one  or  more  industrial  training  or  "  shop-schools,"  and 
be  empowered  to  equip  and  maintain  the  same,  to  pay  to 
employees  suitable  wages  and  establish  agencies  for  the  sale  and 
distribution  of  the  products  thereof. 

§  10.  The  Commission  shall  make  an  annual  report  of  its  pro- 
ceedings to  the  Governor  and  the  Legislature,  and  may  make  such 
recommendations,  in  the  interest  of  the  blind,  as  may  be  necessary* 

§  11.  For  the  year  ending  December  31,  1904,  in  addition  to  the 
unexpended  balance  appropriated  by  chapter  576,  Laws  of  1903, 
the  sum  of  $8,500,  or  so  much  thereof  as  may  be  necessary,  is 
hereby  appropriated  to  carry  out  the  work  of  the  commission. 

8  12.  This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 


APPENDIX  A. 


STATISTICAL     TABLES     BASED     UPON     THE     UNITED 
STATES  CENSUS  OF  1900. 


I. 


TABLE  OF  THE  BLIND  OF  THE  STATE  • 
AGE,  TOTALS  AND  PERCEN 

Age.                                                         Male. 

0-10     *3 

OF  NEW  YORK  SHOWING  SEX, 
TAGE  BY  DECADES. 

Female.              Total.     Percentage. 

62              135            2.24 
199              449            7.47 
140              359            5.97 
173              430            7.15 
233              586            9.75 
338              832          13.84 
443             1017           16.92 
565             1216          20.23 
410              784           13.04 
105              168            2.79 
6                  8               .13 
19                24               .39 

10-21     

250 

21-  30     

219 

30-  40 

257 

40-  50     

353 

50-60     

494 

60-  70 

574 

70-  80 

651 

80-  90 

374 

90-100 

63 

100     

2 

Unknown 

5 

3,315 


2,693 


6,008         100.00 


54 


[ASSEMBLY 


II. 

TABLE  SHOWING  THE  BLIND  OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK  OF  SCHOOL 
AGE  (UNDER  21),  WORKING  AGE  (21-50),  POSSIBLE  WORKING 
AGE  (50-60)  AND  NON-WORKING  AGE  (OVER  GO). 


Age. 

Under  21 

Male. 

323 

Female. 

261 

Total. 

584 

Percentage. 

9  72 

21-50     

829 

546 

1  375 

22  88 

50-60           

494 

338 

832 

13  84 

Over  60 

1  664 

1  529 

3  193 

53  14 

Unknown       

.  .  ..  .               5 

19 

24 

.39 

3,315 

2,693 

6,008 

.  

100.00 

III. 

TABLE   SHOWING  THE  BLIND  OF  THE   STATE  OF  NEW  YORK  WHO 
HAVE  ADDITIONAL  SENSE  DEFECTS. 

Blind  and  deaf   .  . 
Blind,   deaf  and   dumb.  . 


Male. 

139 

Female. 

130 

Total. 

269 

Percentagt'. 

4.47 

19 

9 

28 

.46 

158 

139 

297 

4.93 

TABLES  SHOWING  THE  BLIND  OF  SCHOOL  AGE  (UNDER  21),  WORK- 
ING AGE  (21-50),  POSSIBLE  WORKING  AGE  (50-60),  AND  NON- 
WORKING  AGE  (OVER  60),  OF  THE  CITIES  OF  THE  FIRST  CLASS, 
SEPARATELY  AND  COMBINED. 

I.     City  of  New  York. 


Age. 

Under  21   

Male. 

145 

Female. 

141 

210 
114 
379 

9 

Total.     Ferceata^o- 

286 
528 
268 
658 
6 

21-50  

318 

50-60  

154 

Over  60  

279 

Unknown   . 

4 

900 


846 


1,746 


29.06 


No.  6.] 


55 


II.  Buffalo. 

Age.  Male.  Female.  Total.    Percentage. 

Under  21   14  17                31             

21-50 44  14                58             

50-60 10  14  24 

Over  60 51  50              101           

Unknown  1  1                  2             

120  96  216             3.59 
III.     Cities  of  the  First  Class. 

Age.  Male.  Female.  Total.    Percentage, 

Under  21  159  158  317 

21-50 362  224  586 

50-60 164  128  292 

Over  60 330  429              759             

Unknown  5  3  8 


1,020 


942 


1,962 


32.65 


TABLES  SHOWING  THE  BLIND  OF  SCHOOL  AGE  (UNDER  21),  WORK- 
ING AGE  (21-50),  POSSIBLE  WORKING  AGE  (50-60),  AND  NON- 
WORKING  AGE  (OVER  60),  OF  THE  CITIES  OF  THE  SECOND  CLASS, 
SEPARATELY  AND  COMBINED. 


Age. 

Under  21 
21-50 
50-60 
Over  60  . 


I.    Albany. 

Male.  Female. 

6  3 

10  13 

6  4 

15  20 


Total.     Percentage. 

9 

23 
10 
35 


37 


40 


77 


1.28 


56 


[ASSEMKLY 


II.    Rochester. 

Age.                                                         Male.  Female.  1  >t.al.     Percentage. 

Under  21  12  2  14 

21-50 18  7  25 

50-60 16  4  20 

Over  60 33  31                64             

79  44  123             2.04 
III.     Syracuse. 

Age.                            .                            Male.  Female.  'lotal.     Percentage. 

Under  21  2  7                  9             

21-50 18  11  29 

50-60 7  5                12            

Over  60 21  25                46             

48  48  96              1.59 
IV.     Troy. 

Age.                                                  Male.  Female.  Total.  Percentage. 

Under  21 4  1                  5     

21-50 9  6                15     

50-60 6  3                  9     . 

Over  60  .,                                     18  13  31 


37 


23 


r>0 


.99 


Age. 

Under  21. 

21-50  

50-60 
Over  60  .  . 
Unknown 


V.     Utica. 

Male.  Female. 

4 
o 


4 

6 

5 

13 

28 


2 

10 

1 

19 


Total.  Percentage. 

8     

8     

7     


1 
47 


.78 


No.  6.]  57 

VI.     Cities  of  the  Second  Class. 


Age. 

Under  21 

Male. 
28 

Female. 
17 

Total. 

45 

Percentage. 

21-50  

61 

39 

100 

50-60  

40 

18 

58 

Over  60  

.  .  .  .           100 

90 

199 

Unknown  

1 

1 

229  174  403  6.70 

TABLE  SHOWING  THE  BLIND  OF  THE  CITIES  OF  THE  FIRST  AND 
SECOND  CLASSES  COMBINED. 


Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Percentage. 

New  York  

900 

846 

1,746 

29.06 

Buffalo   

120 

96 

216 

3.59 

Albany  

37 

40 

77 

1.28 

Rochester  

79 

44 

123 

2.04 

Syracuse  

48 

48 

96 

1.59 

Trov  

37 

23 

60 

.99 

Utica  

28 

19 

47 

.78 

1,249  1,116  2,365          39.33 

OBSERVATIONS  REGARDING  CENSUS  LIST. 
While  the  census  list  was  of  great  value  and  proved  indis- 
pensable to  the  work  of  your  Commissioners,  still  it  would 
appear  that  by  the  exercise  of  a  little  more  care  on  the  part  of  the 
•enumerators  the  returns  might  be  made  more  trustworthy.  In 
•examining  this  list  it  was  incidentally  discovered  that  253  names, 
or  4  per  cent,  of  the  whole  number,  had  been  altogether  omitted. 
Again,  out  of  114  blind  persons  found  in  the  almshous-es  of  the 


58  [ASSEMBLY,,  No.  6.J 

State,  51,  or  nearly  45  per  cent.,  were  not  found  on  the  census 
list;  and  finally,  in  the  personal  visitation  of  960  persons  the 
names  of  88  individuals,  or  about  6  per  cent,  of  the  whole  num- 
ber, could  not  be  found  on  the  census  roll,  while  the  names  of 
36  persons,  or  3%  per  cent,  of  the  whole,  were  erroneously 
reported  blind. 


APPENDIX  B. 


STATISTICAL  TABLES  BASED  UPON  THE  PENSION  LIST 
OF  1903  OF  NEW  YORK  CITY. 


I. 

TABLE  OF  THE  BLIND  PENSIONERS  OP  THE  CITY  OP  NEW  YORK 
SHOWING  SEX,  AGE,  TOTALS  AND  PERCENTAGE  BY  DECADES. 


Age. 

Male. 

Female. 

Total. 

Percentage. 

21-30  

82 

47 

129 

12.87 

30-40  

119 

75 

194 

19.36 

40-50  

119 

68 

187 

18.66 

50-60  

92 

76 

168 

16.76 

60-70  

101 

82 

183 

18.76 

70-80  

49 

55 

104 

10.37 

80-90  

17 

17 

34 

3.39 

90-100  

1 

2 

3 

.29 

580  422  1,002  100.00 

II. 

TABLE  OP  THE  BLIND  PENSIONERS  OP  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK  OF 

WORKING  AGE   (21-50),  POSSIBLE  WORKING  AGE   (50-60)   AND 
NON-WORKNG  AGE  (OVER  60). 

Age.                                                            Male.  Female.  Total.  Percentage. 

21-50 320  190  510  50.89 

50-60 92  76  168  16.76 

Over  60..                                    168  156  324  32.33 


580  422  1,002         100.00 


APPENDIX  C 


MISCELLANEOUS  STATISTICS  REGARDING  THE  960 
BLIND,  COMPILED  FROM  THE  RETURNS  OF  THE 
VISITORS. 


Dead 


tion 


investigated 

Male. 

528 

Female. 
432 

Total. 
960 

a  census  list  of  1900  

42 

46 

88 

117 

101 

218 

>cated 

27 

23 

50 

red  from  State  

10 

5 

15 

eouslv  reported  blind 

23 

13 

36 

ered  si^ht  

4 

5 

9 

right  since  census  enumera- 

9 

3 

12 

v  blind  

205 

169 

374 

,lly  blind  

126 

93 

219 

iwn  

30 

9 

39 

21  

23 

24 

47 

es  of  charitable  institutions 

28 

42 

70 

Inmates  of  almshouses  and  former 

pupils  in  schools  for  the  blind . .  1  2  3 
Possible  candidates  (21-50  years) 

for  an  industrial  institution ...  54  16  70 
Possible  candidates  (50-60  years) 

for  an  industrial  institution ...  25  6  31 

Possible  candidates  for  a  home ...  28  22  50 

Self-supporting 57  4  61 

Contributing  to  support 70  64  134 


APPENDIX  a 


STATISTICAL  TABLES  REGARDING  THE  BLIND  IN  THE 
ALMSHOTJSES  OF  THE  STATE,  THE  CITY  OF  NEW 
YORK  EXCEPTED. 


I. 

TABLE  SHOWING  BY  SEXES  THE  NUMBER  OF  BLIND  INMATES  IN 
EACH  OP  THE  ALMSHOUSES  OF  THE  STATE. 

Male.  Female.  Total. 

Albany 2  2  4 

Allegany 

Broome 1     1 

( 'a  I  tarangus 

Cayuga No  data 

Chautauqua 3  1  4 

Ckemung 1  1  2 

Chenango No  data 

Clinton 1  2  3 

Columbia No  data 

Cortland 1  1 

Delaware 1  3  4 

Dutchess 

Erie 3  3  6 

Essex 

Franklin 

Fulton .  1  -  1 

Genesee    1  1 

Greene    .  1"  2  3 


62  [ASSEMBLY 

Male.  Female.  Total. 


Herkimer  

1 

1 

Jefferson    .  

3 

5 

8 

Lewis    

1 

1 

Livingston    

...               5 

1 

6 

Madison    

No  data 

Monroe   

7 

1 

8 

Montgomery   

3 

3 

Nassau    

2 

2 

Niagara  

1 

1 

Oneida    , 

4 

2 

6 

Onondaga   , 

3 

3 

6 

Ontario    

1 

1 

2 

Orange    

6 

1 

7 

Orleans    .-  , 

4 

1 

5 

Oswego    

No  data 

Otsego   

No  data.     .  . 

Putnam   

1 

1 

Rensselaer   

2 

4 

6 

Rockland    

2 

2 

St.  Lawrence  

9 

2 

4 

Saratoga    

1 

1 

Schenectady   

1 

1 

Schoharie    

2 

1 

3 

Schuyler    

Seneca 

Steuben   

2 

1 

3 

Suffolk    

6 

1 

7 

Sullivan    . 

1 

1 

No.  6.]  63 

Male.  Female.  Total. 

Tioga    

Tompkins    1  1  2 

Ulster 

Warren 2 2 

Washington    No  data 

Wayne 1  1  2 

Westchester   No  data 

Wyoming   1     1 

Yates    . 


71                51  122 

Percentage v. 2.03 

II. 

TABLE  OF  THE  BLIND  IN  THE  ALMSHOUSES  OF  THE  STATE  SHOWING 
SEX,  AGE,  TOTALS  AND  PERCENTAGE  BY  DECADES. 

Age.  Male.  Female.  Total.  Percentage. 

0-10    1     .... 1  

10-21    1     1  

21-30    3  1  4  

30-40     . 4  1  5  . 

40-50     7  6  13  

50-60 13  5  18  

60-70     ,.  13  7  20  

70-80     18  16  34  

80-90    4  4  8  

90-100 1  3  4  

Unknown    ,  6  8  14 


71  51  122  2.03 


64  [ASSEMBLY,  No.  6.] 

III. 

INSTITUTIONS  FOR  THE  ADULT  BLIND  IN  GREAT  BRITIAN  FROM  WHICH 
LETTERS  OR  REPORTS  HAVE  BEEN  KECEVED  BY  THE  COMMISION. 

Totally  blind 

Partially 

Unknown 


ind    

Male. 

37 

Female. 

32 

Total. 

>lind 

11 

12 

23 

12 

11 

23 

pils  in  schools  for  blind  . 

6 

6 

12 

i  work  of  almshouse  ..... 
drunkards 

7 
5 

4 

11 
5 

might  improve  sight  .  .  . 

3d   , 

1 
37 

3 
15 

4 
52 

Health  good 

Became  blind  since  census  enu- 
meration of  1900 

Possible  candidates  for  industrial 
institution  .  . .-. . 


APPENDIX  K 

INFORMATION    REGARDING    INSTITUTIONS    FOR    THE 

ADULT  BLIND   IN  GREAT  BRITAIN  AND   IN 

THE  UNITED  STATES. 


I. 

INSTITUTIONS  FOR  THE  ADULT  BLIND  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN  FROM 
WHICH  LETTERS  OR  REPORTS  HAVE  BEEN  RECEIVED  BY  THE 
COMMISSION. 

The  General  Institution  for  the  Blind,  Edgbaston,  Birmingham, 
England. 

Bradford  Incorporated  Institution  for  the  Blind,  Bradford, 
Yorkshire,  England. 

Birkenhead  Society  for  the  Blind,  Birkenhead,  England. 

The  Bristol  Asylum  or  School  of  Industry  for  the  Blind,  Bris- 
tol, England. 

Carlisle  Home  and  Workshop  for  the  Blind,  Carlisle,  England. 

Cheltenham  and  Gloucestershire  Society  for  the  Blind,  Chelten- 
ham, England. 

West  of  England  Institution  for  the  Instruction  and  Employ- 
ment of  the  Blind,  Exeter,  England. 

United  Institution  for  the  Blind  and  Deaf  and  Dumb,  Leeds, 
England. 

The  Leicester  Association  for  Promoting  the  General  Welfare 
of  the  Blind,  Leicester,  England. 

British  and  Foreign  Blind  Association,  London,  England. 


CO  [ASSEMBLY 

Royal  Normal  College  and  Academy  of  Music  for  the  Blind, 
Upper  Norwood,  London,  England. 

Henshaw's  Blind  Asylum,  Manchester,  England. 

Newcastle,  Gateshead  and  District  Workshops  for  the  Adult 
Blind,  Newcastle-upon-Tyne,  England. 

Asylum  and  School  for  the  Indigent  Blind,  Norwich,  England. 

South  Devon   and   Cornwall   Institution   and    School   for  the 
Blind,  Plymouth,  England. 

Institute  for  the  Blind  and  the  Deaf  and  Dumb,   Stoekport, 
England. 

Yorkshire  School  for  the  Blind,  York,  England. 

Association  for  the  Employment  of  the  Industrious  Blind,  Bel- 
fast, Ireland. 

Royal  Blind  Asylum  and  School,  Edinburgh,  Scotland. 

Dundee  Institution  for  the  Blind,  Dundee,  Scotland. 

Royal  Glasgow  Asylum  for  the  Blind,  Glasgow,  Scotland. 

Cardiff  Institute  for  the  Blind,  Cardiff,  Wales. 

Swansea  and  South  Wales  Institution  for  the  Blind,  Swansea, 
Wales. 

II. 

PARTIAL  LIST  OF  INSTITUTIONS  FOR  THE  ADULT  BLIND  ix  THE 
UNITED  STATES. 

Industrial  Home  of  Mechanical  Trades  for  the  Adult  Blind, 
Oakland,  Cal. 

Connecticut  Institute*  and  Industrial  Home  for  the  Blind,  334 
and  336  Wethersfield  avenue,  Hartford,  Conn. 

Columbia   Polytechnic    Institute   for   the   Blind,    Washington, 
D.  C. 

Illinois  Industrial  Home  for  the  Blini,  corner  Nineteenth  and 
Marshall  streets,  Chicago,  111. 


No.  6.]  67 

Indiana  Industrial  Homo  for  Blind  Men,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Workshops  for  the  Blind,  South  Boston,  Mass. 

*  Industrial  Home  and  School  for  the  Blind,  Portland,  Me. 

•Michigan  Employment  Institution  for  the  Blind,  Saginaw, 
Mich. 

St.  Joseph's  Home  for  the  Blind,  Pavonia  avenue,  Jersey  City, 
N.  J. 

The  Society  for  the  Relief  of  the  Destitute  Blind,  Amsterdam 
avenue  and  104th  street,  New  York  City. 

St.  Joseph's  Blind  Asylum,  Mt.  Loretto,  Prince's  Bay,  Staten 
Island,  New  York  City. 

Church»Home  for  the  Blind,  550  Washington  avenue,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y. 

The  Industrial  Home  for  the  Blind,  512  Gates  avenue,  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y. 

Pennsylvania  Working  Home  for  Blind  Men,  3518  Lancaster 
avenue,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

The  Pennsylvania  Industrial  Home  for  Blind  Women,  3827 
Powelton  avenue,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Workshops  for  the  Blind,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

III. 

QI-KSTIONS  SENT  TO  THE  SEVERAL  INSTITUTIONS  FOR  THE  ADULT 
BLIND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

(1)   What  is  the  full  corporate  name  of  your  institution? 
<LM   Where  is  it  located? 

(3)  When  was  it  established? 

(4)  How  is  it  supported,  by  private  charity  or  by  the  State 
or  government? 


*Not  yet  in  operation. 


<>S  [ASSKMBLY 

(5)  Is  the  institution  self-supporting? 

(6)  If  not,  what  is  the  yearly  deficit? 

(7)  What  is  the  annual  per  capita  cost  of  maintaining  the 
institution? 

(8)  How  many  inmates  have  you? 

(9)  How  many  can  you  accommodate? 

(10)  Do  you  admit  both  sexes? 

(11)  Do  you  have  a  workshop  in  connection  with  the  institu- 
tion? 

(12)  How  many  of  the  workmen  live  in  the  institution? 

(13)  How  many  live  outside? 

(14)  What  industries  are  pursued? 

(15)  Which  one  of  these  industries  is  most  readily  learned  by 
the  largest  number  of  blind  persons? 

(16)  Which    is  .apparently    the    most    difficult    for    them    to 
acquire? 

(17)  Does  the  industry  most  easily  learned  yield  the  greatest 
or  least  financial  result? 

(18)  Are  the  workmen  paid  by  the  piece,  or  by  the  day,  week 
or  month  ? 

(19)  What  was   the   minimum   annual   wage  earned   by   any 
workman  last  year? 

(20)  What  was  the  maximum? 

(21)  How  many  seeing  people  are  employed  in  the  institution? 

(22)  Do  you  find  ready  sale  for  all  the  articles  manufactured? 

(23)  Does  the  State  or  Government  aid  you  in  disposing  of 
your  products  by  purchasing  any  of  them  for  use  in  State,  county 
or  municipal  institutions? 

(24)  Are  the  inmates  generally  congenial  to  each  other  and 
loyal  to  the  officers  of  the  institution? 


No.  6.  J  G9 

(25)  From  your  experience  would  you  advise  the  establishment 
of  industrial  homes? 

C2(\)  We  should  be  very  glad  of  any  personal  information  re- 
garding your  institution  which  will  aid  us  in  making  a  report  to 
the  Legislature — anything  which  you  would  state  in  a  personal 
-conversation. 


70 


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APPENDIX  R 


CLASSIFICATION    OF    EXPENSES    INCURRED    BY    COM- 
MISSION. 

Traveling  expenses,  hotel  bills,  etc |441  73 

Postage,  stationery,  supplies,  etc 150  07 

Telegraph  and  telephone  messages 11  80 

Express   6  45 

Expenses  of  field  officers 626  72 

Salary  of  clerk  and  extra  stenographic  services 258  33 

11,495.70 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 

Return  to  desk  from  which  borrowed. 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


LD  21-100m-9/48(B399sl6)476 


YC  35771 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


